Digital Identity & Footprint
We are all aware of the very prevalent role technology plays in our lives. It is nearly impossible to not leave your digital footprint, let alone have your identity present on some form of social media. However, it is easy to forget that our digital actions are permanent and can have consequences. Dr. Alec Couros highlights the dangers of our digital identity and associated actions in his TEDTalk. These dangers can be explained through one quote: the digital world is now “public by default, private by effort”.
However, instead of reiterating the negative consequences of the unforgiving and unforgetting internet that Dr.Couros in his talk, I want to discuss the ways that educators and families can educate their children about safe ways to express their identities and explore the possibilities that the internet provides. This is especially important as we have seen the detrimental effects that have occurred for many people coming from the generation(s) that were not immediately born into the modern digital era. There were some very interesting ways that are already being proposed or used to teach children about having a digital identity. One point that Dr. Couros brought up was teaching understanding through the curriculum of memes. Since memes are a large part of current pop culture, it is a great way to create a connection between concepts that children already understand to the new topic of digital identity effects. While there are obviously many funny memes that bring kids (and everyone) a good laugh, there are also many tone-deaf or (unintentionally) negative memes. Posing critical thinking questions about selected memes can promote the understanding of how important it is to consider all angles of something before you post, as well as understanding that anything you post could have the potential to be a meme, whether or not you want it to be.
Another form of teaching this concept is through Digital Citizenship Lessons and Online programs. As one program (Common Sense Education) promotes in its mission statement, the goal of these types of lessons is to “prepare students to take ownership of their digital lives”. It is easy to find lessons that fit the specific grade and socioemotional level of the children, just showing how easy and important it is to start teaching digital citizenship early on.
Overall, these activities as well as many others can be used to reach the common goal of promoting self-awareness for ones’ digital identity at a young age. This needs to be a priority for schools to include in their curriculum, as well as promoting at-home lessons on digital identity (such as through apps). While there are many great benefits and resources the digital world provides, it is important to also be aware of the negative consequences. As we now know, one post has the potential to change someone’s life.
