Digital footprint and social responsibility

[Karen Bonanno]

The term, digital footprint, was raised in the forum for the ASLA Online III conference in the context of Pru Mitchell's paper, Learning Journeys: Sharing the passion. When it comes to social networking, the issue of what one needs to keep private and what one needs to make public is of concern.

It is now becoming general practice by employers to check an applicants' digital presence as part of the selection process. A report by Pew / Internet, Digital Footprints: Online identity management and search in the ag..., indicates 47% of Internet users have searched for information about themselves online.

ABC Riverina radio, on 22 May 2008, presented a session on Digital Living: Digital Footprint. A panel of Charles Sturt University academics were involved in the discussion - the audio is well worth listening to.

So how do we, as educators, make our students aware of their social responsibility when creating their digital footprint?

[Karen Bonanno]

I was quite delighted to see a post on OZTL_NET from a teacher librarian who is going to use Steve Johnson's video - Digital Footprints-Your New First Impression. Most appropriate for young people, so would highly recommend if you are a teacher then show it to your students and if you are a parent of a young person then show it to them as well.