Social Media. How do we protect ourselves while inviting everyone in?

Our goal through this blog is to raise awareness for online safety in social media. We have created the hashtag #ESafety as the baseline for the start of a very important conversation and by using this hashtag you can join in!

Do you know what a digital footprint is? A digital footprint is the virtual trail of activity you leave through Facebook posts, Instagram, Google searches, emails, and every single keystroke you make. You may feel this is an exaggeration but it truly is not and you must be aware of the trail you leave behind. Simply because you've lost the password to an account or hit delete or edit does not mean that it's gone for forever. There will still always be a version of your digital footprints floating around in cyber space!

Now that we all understand a bit of the terminology we can start talking about why this topic is so important! The reality is that not everyone out there is out to do good, there are individuals who may be out to hurt you by using your digital footprint against you. It is important to understand the privacy settings available for use and how to use them effectively. It is also of value to you to be aware of exactly what is out there for the world to see and how easy it is to gain access to your personal information. Take a moment to google yourself. Do you like what you see? How would your current or potential employers view you? How would your Grandma view you? Are these findings surprising to you and do you feel that you've put to much of your personal details online? Finding the answers to these questions is the first step in making sure you aware of what anyone can find out about you with or without you knowing about it.

By: Malyssa Tibbo