Technology has impacted everyone's lives forever. Whether they use personal devices, work devices, or see doctors; technology has changed our lives forever. It is critical to make sure we are leaving behind a positive digital footprint. Nothing on the internet is private no matter how many privacy settings you put in place; it is always public. A digital footprint is the mark we leave behind when using the internet. It can shape our reputation as well as our online experience in both positive and negative ways. Paying attention and keeping an eye on our digital footprints will help ensure we are making a positive impact on the world around us.

Many people do not think about their digital footprint or when their digital footprint first began. When I think back to when my digital footprint started it's hard to say. Growing up we had cameras to take pictures and flip phones, but technology was much more limited than it is now. In elementary school we did not have computers or a computer class. I remember in the beginning of high school we had a room full of computers and the entire class would put orange skins over the keyboard and then we sat there typing on a program for about twenty minutes. We thought we were so cool using a computer.

In an article about American attitudes along with privacy and security it states, "Most Americans hold strong views about the importance of privacy in their everyday lives" Madden, M., & Raine, L. (2015). In the article is gives many statistics of what people think about privacy settings, laws, and the government. It turns out after polling many people they found Americans have little confidence that their data will remain private and secure. There is a reason why many individuals think this way. They say, "Few feel they have "a lot" of control over how much information is collected about them in daily life and how it is used" (Madden, M., & Raine, L., 2015). In a society where technology is growing, more and more are being taught digital citizenship and how to stay safe online.

Net neutrality is where internet service providers cannot block or slow down traffic, give priority to Web services who can afford to pay for it, or limit content options by pricing out small or startup information providers (Long, 2015). Net neutrality is extremely important in education and makes a huge difference in the outcome of student's, families, and staff's learning experiences. Net neutrality changes the outcome of research, changes the way technology is incorporated into the classroom, and helps preserve free speech. Many times, we do not think about net neutrality. Let's look a little closer! Net neutrality is essential for a fair and equal online experience. Without net neutrality your internet service provider is the one who decides what you see or access. This changes the way technology is integrated into the classroom by making the same quality access to online educational content as entertainment and other public content. Net neutrality helps protect freedom of speech. It plays a huge role in promoting equal access to educational opportunities for all.

Overall, technology is everywhere. You cannot get around it. Technology has the ability to even the playing field. It is incredibly important to be careful online. Digital citizenship is more essential than ever. It is critical to keep an eye on our digital footprint and ensure we are making a positive impact on others in the world around us. For individuals to make a positive impact in society we must teach digital citizenship and show how the things we do online and the footprint we leave behind matter and make a difference in the world.

Citations

Long, C. (2015). What net neutrality means for students and Educators. Retrieved from https://neatoday.org/2015/03/11/net-neutrality-means-students-educators/

Madden, M., & Raine, L. (2015). Americans' attitudes about privacy, security and survellance. Retrieved from https://www.pewinternet.org/2015/05/20/americans-attitudes-about-privacy-security-and-surveillance/