Katrina Lopes

Every time you log onto a website, you leave a mark saying “I was here”

What you do online can be found, copied, broadcasted, and passed on to anyone. It is permanently on the internet. The traces you leave on the internet is called your digital footprint.

Phishing On occasion, you may receive s or pop ups on your computer screen saying “Congratulations, you’ve won a prize, to claim it, please fill out this form.” DO NOT DO IT. When you receive something that asks for your personal and financial information never give it out. This is called “Phishing”. It’s an attempt to commit fraud on the internet. Once these web pages receive your information they can use it to track you and in most cases, take your money. Please be aware of these on the internet and do not continue further unless you are with a responsible parent/adult.

Privacy Settings Most social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and twitter have options to make your page only seen by who you choose. In reality, your information is never truly “private” online, Even though you may adjust your privacy settings, your information is still accessible to the developers of the social networking site and others they may choose to share your information with. Also, your friends and family may be posting photos and information about you that are all open to the public.

Social Networks Because of these more or less “faulty” privacy settings, we must be extra careful about what we post on social networks. You can never be sure who has access to the information you are posting online. What you post can affect your personal safety, especially if you tell people where your going at specific dates and times.

Online Friends On networks such as Facebook, you can send requests to be friends with someone online. Before you accept, be 100% sure that you know the person who sent the request. Remember that there are fraudsters out there who create “fake” profiles in order to get access to your information. While online, you can never be completely sure as to who you’re talking to, so if your online friends have little or no connection to you in the real world, always be very careful. In addition, what you post to your friends could be misinterpreted and this could lead to cyber bullying and fights. All in all, be very cautious about what you say on the internet.

Ask yourself these things before you post, share, or send anything online to ensure a positive digital footprint.