Digital Identities & Digital Security
What information are we sharing? And who are we really sharing with? Building and protecting our student’s online identity is a major concern for teachers today. Students all around the world couldn’t imagine life without internet. Explore, enjoy and learn, but always be aware our digital identity is almost impossible to erase. Everything you like, share, comment on or post will add value to your digital identity, slowly creating your digital footprint. This footprint will be an online picture of you, so be sure to like what you see. Think before posting, then think again. While the delete button can erase a post instantly, a digital record is stored somewhere and can be uncovered by anyone many years later. We must assume that information can remain online indefinitely. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. Sharing information with just a few people doesn’t stop it from reaching a wider audience. The internet is a very public domain. Whether our children decide to go online as themselves or anonymously, we must teach the importance of respectful online behaviour. Guiding them guidance to represent themselves in both a positive 
and beneficial manner, will give them an enjoyable online platform for learning. It is important for children to know who they can trust with their information online. Teachers need to educate students on the risks of sharing personal information with online friends. Don’t over-share online, especially such personal details as your address, online predators may be watching. Good strong passwords are the best defense for protecting all your personal information. Changing these passwords often and using different ones for different sites is the next level of better protection. Other electronic safety precautions to introduce to our students include such things as spam filters and antivirus software. With all the negative influences online ready to exploit our students, it is our responsibility to safely navigate them in today’digital world.
References
Howell, J. (2012). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.
Lizenberg, N. (2013). Digital Identity: Teachers Role in the 21st Century. Retrieved from
https://wwwacademia.edu/4618867/Digital_identity_and_teacher_s_
role_in_the_21st_century_classroom.
Osbourne, N. (2016, December 2). What do Your Digital Footprints say About You? Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rvx8zsar4oy
Palfrey, J., & Gasser, U. (2008). Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. NY: Basic Books.
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