Question 2.2 Digital footprints can be construed as trails that digital citizens leave online. Do you think that digital footprints could become a problem? Discuss.

Digital footprints

People these day live and do everything online, from online dating to ordering food on their phones. All of these activities leave a digital footprint. The definition of digital footprint according to the IIE (2019, 12) is the trail we leave behind on the internet. These footprints although online may lead to real world problems.

Issues around digital footprints are only going to get better as soon as people realise that everything that they do online is most likely to stay online even if they delete it. That in itself can impact you. A post could lead back to your boss and you could get fired; a post from a few years back, even if a person has grown up and matured, could still impact them years later like when James Gunn got fired from directing in 2018 Guardians of the Galaxy volume 3 for a tweets made in 2009 and 2010, according to Bryan Bishop.     

The thing most internet users do not realise is that they leave these footprints, and there is almost nothing you can do about it. Whatever you do and or post stays online, even if you clear your history or delete your post. These activities are your online reputation. The consumers of your content will forever remember it, some might even save it and start sharing it. Being aware of what content you put out is going to help today’s digital citizen, because you never know if what you do today could lead to tomorrow.