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 Digital Footprints

Digital Footprints are trails or traces left by someone's activity in a digital environment (cyberspace) when you are working online.

“Unlike footprints left in the sand at the beach, our online data trails often stick around long after the tide has gone out”

http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/ksmith/2008/01/08

The nature of personal information is changing in the age of Web 2.0

As we now live in a digital age, digital technology is everywhere (sometimes referred to as the digital universe). A digital environment is a created world within a computer, or a group of computers where people can communicate or socialise.

There are two main classifications for digital footprints, passive and active. A  passive digital footprint  is created when information/data is collected about an action without any computer user activation, whereas active  digital footprints  are created when personal data is released deliberately by a user for the purpose of sharing information about oneself i.e. Face book, My space etc.



Take control of your digital footprint:

 Internet users are becoming more aware  of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago

Few monitor their online presence with great regularity. Just 3% of self-searchers report that they make a regular habit of it and 74% have checked up on their digital footprints only once or twice.

Most internet users are not concerned about the amount of information available about them online, and most do not take steps to limit that information.

At least 60% of internet users say they are not worried about how much information is available about them online. Similarly, the majority of online adults (61%) do not feel compelled to limit the amount of information that can be found about them online.”

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2007/Digital- Footprints.aspx

 Be aware of the image you present to the world. Make sure you understand that every time you go online, you could be contributing to your digital footprint (something everyone can see)!



''Your digital footprints may be randomly placed across multiple sites. Check your history of sites visited over the last few weeks.''

Task 1: Download a template for your own digital footprint.

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/downloads/digital_footprints.pdf

Remember - when you do just about anything online - from a Google search to a Face book message to a spot of file-sharing - you are leaving traces of yourself that you might prefer to stay private.

 “Every time we register for a new web service, or upload our photos and videos, we are enlarging our own digital footprints”

Task 2 - Questions to consider:

A) Have you ever searched for your name using Google or other search engines (actively exploring your online identity)?

B) What were the results of your search? Did you find anything about yourself (your digital footprint)?

C) In what ways could your digital footprint pose a problem to your online identity?

D) List the negative impacts of your online activity (dangers that exist with the information you provide)

E) How have you protected your ‘online presence’ from dangers that exist in the digital environment?

F) What are some positive consequences of our ‘online presence?’

Task 3 - Watch the following video “Identity 'at risk' on Face book”

Click here

Task 4: Internet Task (KidSMART)

1. Using the following website, find out how to have a smart attitude to your digital footprints.

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/digitalfootprints/</a>

a) Read the information carefully using this web-link

b) Watch the 3 videos (what are the main points of each)

c) Print the top 7 tips on safe internet usage

d) Click on ‘Secret Link’ - observe the pictures young people have drawn about how to stay safe online. (Click on each to get a better view)

e) Click on the tabs ‘Social networking’; ‘File sharing’ and ‘Safe searching’– Read the information, watch the relevant video(s) and take note of the top tips. (Download the PDF leaflet on ‘Social Networking’)

f) General question - Why is it important to protect our identity and therefore your own digital footprint?

<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/*F4n*K21cQbWNLw*77h2tAn3ZP10rCCr3ykvkJtHJYJ1CkH7QP9mfZwMzsKTLrfr4LxVy5q2Zrg8huhrIJli8G93iommQ5nL/world.JPG" alt="" width="141" height="163" align="middle" />

This unit of work is about teaching you to effectively manage your digital identity in the 21st Century

You are probably the first generation to be brought up online, in the sense that your parents and friends have catalogued your lives on the web, like a scrapbook for all to see. Many primary students (or younger) may not understand what their digital footprint is.

But in Year 7, you are hopefully starting to learn about online and offline cyber-safety and making good choices from your teachers and parents

References: • Will Richardson – ‘Footprints in the Digital Age’ http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/nov08/vol66/num03/Footprints_in_the_Digital_Age.aspx</a>

• J.D Lasica – ‘Digital Footsteps’ http://www.jdlasica.com/articles/digital.html</a>

• BBC News – ‘Identity at risk on Facebook’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7375772.stm</a>

• KidSMART http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/digitalfootprints/</a>

• Media Bullseye – ‘Digital Footprints: Raising kids online” http://mediabullseye.com/mb/2008/08/digital-footprints-raising-kid.html</a>

• Growing up online – ‘Your child’s digital footprint’ http://www.growing-up-online.com/your_child_s_digital_footprint_68117.htm</a>

• PowerPoint – ‘What is your digital footprint?’ www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Multimedia/Assets/DigitalFootprint.ppt</a>