Whatever you write online stays online and is even hard to delete. Your online activities leave a trace that anyone can track so easily so we better watch out what we share. Learning about how to manage and monitor one's digital identity is one of the pre-requisites for raising responsible and good netizens.
The task starts at home with our kids and moves on to school inside our classrooms. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning has been deeply engaged in sensitizing and sharing with our fellow teachers and educators interesting resources on how to teach about digital footprints. I am inviting you to check this resource section to learn more.
Related: A Great Guide on Teaching Students about Digital Footprints
Another important resource that I want to share with you today regarding this topic comes from Susan M Bearden. This is basically a slideshow from her Lead Brevard "Leadership Before Hours" Presentation . In this presentation, Susan suggested a wide variety of ways to help you monitor your digital footprints. Here is a brief round-up of these ways:
- Google your name and check the information others can see about you
- Do the same with other search engines like: Yahoo, Bing. Ask...etc
- Watch what you post, does it reflect your professional image
- Think about how your children will feel about what post. Are you a good model for them ?
- Monitor your social media profiles
- If you can afford it then check out these paid resources to learn more about your digital identity: reputation.com, regainyourname.com, brandyourself.com
And finally don't forget that if you don't control your online identity someone else will.