My Experience with Online Footprints: More Than Just Clicks

I never really concerned myself with having an online presence. I'm positive, like most students, I agreed to terms and conditions without even reading them, signed up for sites because they were required for class, and posted assignments in learning management systems, assuming only my professor would see them.  

This week's reading caused me to see that every document I upload, every comment I make, every app I use in a course—these are all adding to a growing digital identity. I've held back at times from contributing fully to discussions in class online because I didn't know who could see my comments or where they would go. 

Now I pay attention. I check my privacy settings. I think about the amount of personal information that I do share. And I appreciate the teachers who matter-of-factly explain how we're gathering and storing our information. Monitoring an online presence isn't just about safety—it's about being thoughtful and intentional in the online spaces we move through each day. 

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