Digital Footprints

There are many aspects of living that are simplified due to technology. Today’s youth will never memorize their best friend’s phone number from dialing it so many times. There are fewer people each day that know what a Thomas Guide is and how to use it. The digital age has created culture shifts similar to the Industrial Revolution, but clearly at a larger scale.

Conversely, there are some issues that arise when people become so dependent on technology. It personally took me over a month to figure out how to get from my new home to my new job without the aid of Waze. It was a simple drive, but I relied on the voice to tell me when to turn. If a person loses their phone and needs to call someone for help, rarely do people know phone numbers anymore.

Other issues with the rise of technology, is the decline of privacy. So much of what people do is traceable and tracked, whether you like it or not. Someone’s name could be tarnished by a random person's negative post about another person they do not even know, and it could leave an undesirable permanent record on the internet.

It is our responsibility as educators to keep a positive and productive digital footprint to set a good example for the people lives we affect. It is our job to help educate the youth about the positive and negative aspects of technology, security, and their digital footprint.