If there is one thing I love, it’s a comment section.
I spend quite a bit of time scrolling through TikTok, Facebook and Instagram Reels searching for intriguing comments. Most of the time, comment sections tend to be funnier and more entertaining than the original post itself.
While some comments are quippy, creative and overall entertaining to read, others are full of hatred and flat-out exhausting.
Some of these downright horrific comments got me thinking — will that comment matter in the coming years, or will it disappear into the ether, never to be seen again?
Growing up in a digital world, my generation has had the digital footprint Sword of Damocles precariously hanging over our heads for the entirety of our virtual reality. That 15-pixel diamond Minecraft sword was meant to remind us how a simple online faux pas could cause us to drop all of our loot. Game over.
But it seems that people of all ages have forgotten about the Master Sword that hangs above them.
So what exactly is a digital footprint?
Tobin Redwine, an instructional assistant professor of media productions in agriculture and life sciences, said a “digital footprint is the lasting impression of your presence on the internet, social media and other digital spaces.”
It is a permanent and trackable marker for how you’ve spent your time online. The main draw for the hateful folks typing up a storm on X, formerly Twitter, is the illusion of ephemerality and anonymity, but it is merely an illusion.
So, now that we’ve established what a digital footprint is, it’s time to decide if something as simple as a distasteful comment can actually hold the power to determine your future.
“You should assume that everything that appears on the internet that you’ve posted stays there,” Redwine said.
For the students preparing to walk the graduation and currently scouring HireAggies for any open position, wondering if their future employers will take the time to check your TikTok account, short answer — you bet your Bells they will.
“Companies, without question, look at your digital history to see what they can learn about you,” Redwine said. “In an increasingly digital society, there’s a lot of information about who we are, all online.”
But a digital footprint isn’t only important to students looking for a job. In my hours combing through the internet, a large amount of online offenders belong to Generation X and the Baby Boomers.
Granted, these generations didn’t grow up with video games, social media platforms or any form of internet brain rot for that matter, so a lack of netiquette training is to be expected. But Charles Darwin said it best: “We must adapt and press forward if we are to see our journey’s end.” Wait. Maybe that was the opening cutscene for “Civilization VI.”
What I’m saying is we all have to adapt and learn how to navigate the digital spaces in a way that authentically reflects who we are, regardless of whether or not we’ve been around iPads and Wikipedia all our lives.
A digital footprint matters at all ages. Being aware of it isn’t just for ambitious youngsters looking for a job.
You may be thinking, “I’m a retired grandparent, why does my digital footprint matter, I’m not looking for a job!”
Sorry, GamGam and Grampy. We love you, but your footprint still matters.
“You can learn a lot about who somebody is and determine whether or not you want to work with them based on what their digital footprint looks like,” Redwine said. “So [digital footprints] matter for everybody, not just young people.”
Your footprint is a sneak peak into who you are. If someone is looking to associate with you on a personal or professional matter, and your digital footprint reflects something unbecoming you can probably bet that relationship will be terminated or at the very least altered.
“From my personal experience, anytime I have considered my involvement with additional organizations, collaborators, colleagues, coauthors or partners, I’m going to go look up and see what I know about who they are,” Redwine said. “There have been instances where I have been surprised by previous viewpoints or perspectives that were challenging.”
Now, you may be panicking because you haven’t thought about your digital footprint until now, or you may not be panicking because you simply couldn’t care less about it. Either way there are a couple of things you should keep in mind.
“Three good practices for maintaining healthy digital footprints are, one: monitor and search for yourself,” Redwine said. “Two: Assume that everything that appears on the internet stays there. Three: Be proactive in curating what you want your digital footprint to look like.”
No one can be invisible in this day and age. We’ve got our phones on us at all times, and the insatiable urge to post every thought we’ve ever had. It’s crucial to curate your footprint.
“An ideal digital footprint is authentic, but it also maintains the level of privacy that you need and require and it also maintains a level of professionalism that you need and require for your season of life,” Redwine said.
Don’t let that Energy Sword cut the thread of you and your loved ones’ future. Research proper netiquette, and strive to represent yourself and your family positively and authentically online.
Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.
