Q2 Your Evolving Footprint

Introduction

It is important to begin thinking about creating a more formal or professional web presence for the future. Watch the movie above to learn about evolving digital footprints.  

I Can Statements

• manage my digital footprint

• analyze my web presence

Key Vocabulary

Algorithms: An algorithm is a detailed step-by-step instruction set or formula for solving a problem, or completing a task such as a recipe or programming a robot. 

Convey: To convey is to communicate a message or information. 

Digital footprint: On the Internet, a digital footprint is a word used to describe the trail, traces, or footprints that people leave online. So that means anytime you do or write something online, there will remain a trace even if you delete it.

Play the Vocabulary Game below to practice the Key Vocabulary. 

Steps

1. After watching the movie Oversharing: Think Before You Post, answer the six questions below:

Note: Here is a Document Template with the questions that you can copy and use. 

Questions:

A.  When do you think your Digital Footprint began? (You may want to ask your parents about when they began posting information about you online.)

B. Google yourself using your first and last name and hometown e.g."John Smith, Grand Rapids". Use quotation marks (" ") for a more accurate search. What did you discover?  

C. Go to Google and do a search for Katy Perry, Serena Williams, or Bill Gates. Describe the digital footprint of the person you researched. What message does the footprint convey? 

D. Think about the specific footprints or information you leave behind on the sites from your map in Quest One (such as what you viewed, typed, or accessed).  If this was the only information someone had about you, what would they think about you? What assumptions would they make about your habits & behaviors? What does your web presence say about you?

E. How are algorithms being used by companies to influence me?

F. What do you want people to know about you? How accurately and appropriately are you portraying yourself online?

2. Watch this Commoncraft video about Algorithms and think about how they might impact information about you online (2:33 min).

3. In computing, programmers write algorithms for web browsers that instruct the computer how to perform a task. One task might be to capture the websites you visited and then show you ads for games, books, concerts, etc. because you visited a certain site, made a purchase online, or posted something on a blog or social media site. This can happen on any device you use for web browsing, your cell phone, tablet, or computer. Think...

4. Watch one more video titled: Teen Voices: Oversharing and Your Digital Footprint  (3.34 min).

Direct link to this video on YouTube.

Have a discussion with your family and/or class and share your suspicions of whether this has happened to you or one of them. You might not have realized it yet. Start watching and questioning why different ads show up when you are browsing or downloading apps. This is how many companies make money from your online actions.

5. Write a Digital Footprint Reflection in your File Space and share it with your teacher.

Completing this Quest

In order to complete this Quest, make sure your file is saved in your File Space. Make sure to have a meeting with your teacher about your File Space. You may need this in the future.

Check off this Quest on the 21t4s roadmap 

I am ready to tackle Quest 3