The Ethical Argument
We know that there are both positives and negatives to your Digital footprint, but are the positives worth the risk? Everybody has their own opinion on the matter, and there is no right answer, it is subjective. There is no doubt that having a digital footprint has it's risks and there are definitely negative consequences. However the only way to completely rid yourself of a digital footprint would be to leave the web altogether. Here are some of the main points in this ongoing ethical debate:
Your digital footprint can have an effect on your employment. This means if you mistakenly do something irresponsible on the web, like offend somebody or post a compromising picture of yourself, an employer would be less likely to hire you. This can cause serious damage to your future, even if it was something petty or accidental. However, this can give honest, hard working people a better chance of employment if the employer can see that they are being responsible in an online environment. It can give people more opportunities and potentially improve their lives. It also allows companies or employers to better understand who their employees are outside of work. This means that they can select employees who are both more trustworthy and better qualified, increasing productivity and giving the right opportunities to the right people.
It can also have an effect on you socially. Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter make it easy for anybody to see part of your digital footprint, and for many it can be their first impression of you. If you leave something potentially offensive on one of these sites it can make it hard for you to make friends, create rumors and negatively effect society's impression of you. However, it also means that you can have a better idea of who your friends are and make you able to choose to surround yourself with people who you think are responsible and would fit well with your personality, reducing the chance of having problematic or untrustworthy relationships.
There is also the issue of privacy. All websites collect data from you, whether it is just a view count, Bank account details, Passwords, Your location or your search history. This can have a disastrous effect on you. All this information leave on the internet becomes part of your digital footprint whether you like it or not. You don't know what information they have taken from you, or what they are using it for. They could be selling it to telemarketing companies, or it could be used for identity theft, endangering not only your finances but also your family's well being. Even the most secure, trustworthy sites can be hacked. A recent example of this is the Sony Pictures Hack, which exposed medical records, emails and endangered not only jobs but people's lives. This sort of thing is becoming more and more common, and very dangerous. However, there are also potential positives to this. This information-gathering can help you find what you want easier, and make it easier to purchase things online. Corporations find this information beneficial as it allows them do find what their customers want by examining their personalities and buying habits. This can help them create products or services that are tailored to a particular audience, improving not only the company, but also the experience of the customers. It can also be used for the good of society, for example there are now apps that monitor your body and share that information with medical research facilities in order to advance medicine and help develop vaccines.
Many people have their own opinions on the issue, none of which can be defined as 'Right' or 'Wrong'. Even experts are somewhat divided. While some would argue that it is best for both you and your community to keep your information offline, avoiding embarrassing or potentially destructive negative consequences; others would argue that having a digital footprint can be used to improve your quality of life, and monitor negative or even criminal activity. There will always be positives and negatives to having a digital footprint, but it all depends on how you feel. You may be fine with the negative implications, it is all up to you. There are also measures you can take in order to develop a positive digital footprint overall, one that will help you in life instead of hinder you.
Your digital footprint can have an effect on your employment. This means if you mistakenly do something irresponsible on the web, like offend somebody or post a compromising picture of yourself, an employer would be less likely to hire you. This can cause serious damage to your future, even if it was something petty or accidental. However, this can give honest, hard working people a better chance of employment if the employer can see that they are being responsible in an online environment. It can give people more opportunities and potentially improve their lives. It also allows companies or employers to better understand who their employees are outside of work. This means that they can select employees who are both more trustworthy and better qualified, increasing productivity and giving the right opportunities to the right people.
It can also have an effect on you socially. Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter make it easy for anybody to see part of your digital footprint, and for many it can be their first impression of you. If you leave something potentially offensive on one of these sites it can make it hard for you to make friends, create rumors and negatively effect society's impression of you. However, it also means that you can have a better idea of who your friends are and make you able to choose to surround yourself with people who you think are responsible and would fit well with your personality, reducing the chance of having problematic or untrustworthy relationships.
There is also the issue of privacy. All websites collect data from you, whether it is just a view count, Bank account details, Passwords, Your location or your search history. This can have a disastrous effect on you. All this information leave on the internet becomes part of your digital footprint whether you like it or not. You don't know what information they have taken from you, or what they are using it for. They could be selling it to telemarketing companies, or it could be used for identity theft, endangering not only your finances but also your family's well being. Even the most secure, trustworthy sites can be hacked. A recent example of this is the Sony Pictures Hack, which exposed medical records, emails and endangered not only jobs but people's lives. This sort of thing is becoming more and more common, and very dangerous. However, there are also potential positives to this. This information-gathering can help you find what you want easier, and make it easier to purchase things online. Corporations find this information beneficial as it allows them do find what their customers want by examining their personalities and buying habits. This can help them create products or services that are tailored to a particular audience, improving not only the company, but also the experience of the customers. It can also be used for the good of society, for example there are now apps that monitor your body and share that information with medical research facilities in order to advance medicine and help develop vaccines.
Many people have their own opinions on the issue, none of which can be defined as 'Right' or 'Wrong'. Even experts are somewhat divided. While some would argue that it is best for both you and your community to keep your information offline, avoiding embarrassing or potentially destructive negative consequences; others would argue that having a digital footprint can be used to improve your quality of life, and monitor negative or even criminal activity. There will always be positives and negatives to having a digital footprint, but it all depends on how you feel. You may be fine with the negative implications, it is all up to you. There are also measures you can take in order to develop a positive digital footprint overall, one that will help you in life instead of hinder you.