digital footprint

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Hallie Nevermann Mass Media Informational Essay Draft 1 27 September 2021 The Path of Your Digital Footprint Do you ever feel like your online activity is being traced or followed? That is caused by your digital footprint. A digital footprint is information about a certain person as a result of their online activity. Some questions about this topic include, who can follow your digital footprint, why does your digital footprint matter, and when does your digital footprint end or does it not? I have answers to all these. To start with, who can follow your digital footprint? Almost everyone can. Your friends and family might track you if they are curious. Companies might track you to help them build a profile. By knowing information about you, they can target their marketing toward you. Employers might track you to see your past and if you would be a good employee. Cybercriminals might track you to gain access to information about you like finance information or to commit identity fraud (Allstate). Someone can search something simple about you and find out your email, address, phone number, social media accounts, pictures, and even more. Overall, many people can follow your digital footprint and they do this for many reasons. Next, why does your digital footprint matter? Your digital footprint is important because it can have a huge impact on your reputation, relationships, and employment opportunities. This can have a positive or negative impact (Digital Citizenship). It can have a negative impact if you post something or someone posts something of you doing something you should not be doing. This could affect you at a young age because of school. You could be suspended from school,

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sports, or even worse. This affects you later on in life because it could stop you from getting a job or going to the school you wanted to. Your digital footprint can affect you in a good way because it can share the good things you have done. For example, family vacations, volunteer time, and more. As you can see, your digital footprint is important because it leaves a lasting impact on your life. Lastly, does your digital footprint ever go away? Your digital footprint is permanent. Every time you do something online it is stored forever. Even if you delete a post or delete your search history, it can always be brought back. This happens because it is easier to store data than it is to delete it (Brain Game). In conclusion, your digital footprint is permanent and every online activity you make will be there forever. Overall, almost everyone can follow your digital footprint, your digital footprint is important because it has a huge impact on your reputation, and your digital footprint is permanent.

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Works Cited "All You Need to Know about Your Digital Footprint." Brain Gain, 2004, www.braingainmag.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-your-digital-footprint.htm. Accessed 29 Sept. 2021. "Leaving a Digital Footprint." Digital Citizenship, 2019, www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/articles/leaving-a-digital-footprint#:~:text=Once%20s omething%20is%20posted%20or,you%20have%20viewed%20or%20created. Accessed 29 Sept. 2021. "What Does Your Digital Footprint Reveal about You?" Allstate, 2020, blog.infoarmor.com/employers/rwhat-does-your-digital-footprint-reveal-about-you. Accessed 29 Sept. 2021.