Digital Footprint

Another one of the tech tasks in the Internet for Educators course we are supposed to look up what a digital footprint is and what ours looks like.

First thing I do is look at the words and think to myself ‘well that seems kind of obvious; digital meaning that it is technology based and something to do with the internet and footprint meaning something left behind.’

 Second thing I do is go to my favorite search engine, Google, just to reaffirm my own assumptions. First site that pops up is Wikipedia, of course I love Wikipedia and go to it often, and I click there.

Wikipedia defines a digital foot print as “a trail left by interactions in a digital environment; including the use of TV, mobile phone, the internet and other devices and sensors. Digital footprints provide data on what has been performed in the digital environment; and are used in behavioural targeting, personalisation, targeted marketing, digital reputation, and other social media or social graphing services.”

Webopedia (connected to Wikipedia?) defined a digital footprint as “On the Internet a digital footprint is the word used to describe the trail, traces or "footprints" that people leave online. This is information transmitted online, such as forum registration, e-mails and attachments, uploading videos or digital images and any other form of transmission of information — all of which leaves traces of personal information about yourself available to others online.”

Well that is all quite a mouthful.  From my own assumption of what a digital footprint was I figured I haven’t left much of an indentation; maybe a toe or something but not a whole foot. After reading that I think I have to revaluate my thinking.

I have been using the internet since I was ten so I can only imagine the depth of my digital footprint. There is over a decade of me on the internet going to various websites, logging in and out, downloading music, and chatting.

Now that I know what a digital footprint I was curious as to what mine looked like so of course back to Google I go and put my name in the search. Honestly I expected so much more to come up than what did. My top five listings were: 1. a petition signed online to get West Jet in Brandon. 2. Google + account. 3. Twitter account. 4. Mentioning of me in a play 5. My blog. That was about it anyways. Not too many people online name Alaura Armstrong by the look of it since all results on the first page were pertaining to me.

I’m pretty sure that once information is online it can’t be taken back. So, erasing a digital footprint is not easy if not impossible. People need to be careful of what they do online and what kind of presence they are making. Fads come and go and it is hard to keep track of everything but people just need to be aware of what they are doing on the internet.