This is the draft of my article for Issue 2 of the GEMS Family Magazine, due out in September. Comments welcome...
At this time of year, many of our older students will have a keen eye on their futures beyond school. Will they be accepted by their first choice college? Will they secure a place on their dream course, setting them up for the life and career they have already worked so hard for? Exam results are important and they will also be working hard on their college applications this year, but there is another key factor to consider in this digital age - and it could make the difference between dreams being realised or shattered...
It is sometimes called a ‘digital footprint’ - the trail of data we leave behind every time we go online, everything about us stored, searchable and ‘out there.’ But is this footprint in sand, washed away twice a day by the tide, or is it set in stone forever? The truth is probably somewhere towards the latter, which is why we are now also beginning to hear the phrase ‘Digital Tattoo.’ This gives the concept a far more permanent feel, perhaps more menacing - and it is something we should be taking very seriously. Everything we post online, everything others post about us, even cookies stored on website sites we visit, can contribute to a permanent digital tattoo - our online presence, our reputation. In effect - us, our ‘digital selves.’
So when should children start managing their online reputations? Actually, the question should perhaps be: when do parents start building their children’s online reputations? Almost invariably in the digital age, a child’s first footprint is the 12 or 20 week scan in the womb. Seriously. Then there’s the baby in the bath photo, so cute - and that swimming gala pic in Year 5, a proud moment indeed… and all over Facebook. You get the picture, literally. As proud parents, we may think that posting these images is harmless, but do we actually have a right to do it? Does it conflict with the child’s right to one day manage his or her own reputation? These treasured photographs used to be locked away in the family album drawer, brought out at gatherings to be shared with trusted friends and relatives. Now they are, potentially, shared with the whole world, re-posted, stored and used for… well, who knows what and by whom. And how will this indelible history be viewed by our children when they are 11, 21 or 31? Will they thank us for charting their formative years so publicly? The answer probably lies in the nature of the content, which is why we, as parents, should think seriously about modelling digital reputation management and guiding our children to take on that task themselves when they are ready.
Creating a positive digital reputation starts with the parents, but it can be seen to become ever more important as our children become teenagers and start to think about college applications and careers. A recent survey by Kaplan in the US found that, in 2013, 29% of college admission tutors had Googled prospective applicants and 31% had visited social media accounts to find out more information. Of those, 46% found something they felt negatively impacted the application. In 2008, the number of admissions tutors investigating applicants’ online reputation was around 10% and in 2011, 20%, so there is clearly a steep upward trend. If this trend continues, it will not be long before the investigation of applicants’ digital presence becomes standard procedure in higher education. Indeed, I met a teacher from the US recently who told me about one of her ex-students who has set up his own business offering exactly this service to colleges and universities. He had created a new job for himself and is now, in effect, a ‘Digital Reputation Investigator.’
So what can our students do to ensure their digital reputation is positive and will act as a springboard and not a barrier to future success?
“Our advice to college applicants is to run themselves through online search engines on a regular basis to be aware of what information is available about them online, and know that what’s online is open to discovery and can impact them. Sometimes that impact is beneficial, if online searches turn up postings of sports scores, awards, public performances or news of something interesting they’ve undertaken. But digital footprints aren’t always clean, so students should maintain a healthy dose of caution, and definitely think before posting.”
A digital tattoo, just like a real one, can be seen as a thing of beauty and pride or a permanent, unwanted blemish. We need to help our children take control of their online reputations and futures - to help them design their own digital tattoos - before someone else does it for them!
Managing a Positive Online Presence: What can students do?
1. It starts with the parents - think carefully when posting online about your children. Are you laying the foundations of a positive digital footprint which they themselves can build on in the future? Have this conversation with your children as soon as they are old enough: what do they want to be shared with the world? Respect their wishes.
2. Students should publicise their achievements, such as volunteer or charity work, sporting success, involvement in clubs and extra-curricular activities, awards and anything else that shows them in a positive light.
3. Set up a blog or website, using a tool such as https://about.me/ to establish an official online area for colleges and prospective employers or contacts to view their profiles.
4. As well as sites such as Facebook and Twitter, teenagers may like to consider building their own profiles on LinkedIn or Google+, thereby getting a headstart with relevant and potentially influential contacts.
5. Carry out regular ‘self-searches’ using Google or specialist sites such as https://pipl.com/. This will ensure that students are aware of what others may see if and when they become the subject of an online search.
Finally, always follow the THINK rule before posting online - always ask, “Is it…”
True?
Helpful?
Inspiring?
Necessary?
Kind?
...and follow the Golden Rule: ONLY POST WHAT YOU WOULD WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE - including your parents, grandparents, college admissions tutors and future employers or business contacts.
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