Did you know that what you post on social media will stay with you forever? I know; shocking. Whatever you post online, will always stay under your name. How is this possible, you may ask, well, this is due to something called a digital footprint.

Digital footprint “refers to the trail of data you leave when using the internet. It includes websites you visit, emails you send, and information you submit online. A digital footprint can be used to track a person’s online activities and devices,” (kaspersky.com). Essentially, any action taken on social media or the general web is automatically linked to your name.

Your digital footprint can be used in two major harmful ways. First, hackers can use your information to track  and trick you into scams. Secondly, colleges can view this information and use it to decline your admission if they find anything they deem inappropriate.

Your social media persona, meaning the things you post and are tagged in under your account, are viewed by colleges as well as potential future employers.

Let’s say you go to a party and get your picture taken with a bottle of alcohol or any other illegal substance anywhere in your vicinity. If you are underage, and this picture is posted, you can get charged with underage drinking/smoking.

According to nyulocal.com, “Eight students from the University of Wisconsin have now been charged with underage drinking based off Facebook photos. And you don’t even have to have uploaded the incriminating photo yourself! According to the article, “Someone else posted photos on a Facebook site of UW-L sophomores (names withheld to protect their privacy) holding beer, but they still ended up in court Wednesday pleading no contest and getting fined.”

Another issue that can adversely affect your prospects is posting racist, bigoted, or offensive posts. “A private women’s college in Georgia expelled a student over offensive social media posts, including one in which she used a racial slur against African Americans. Wesleyan College…condemned the posts as ‘abhorrent’ and said they went against the school’s mission and values,” (nbcnews.com). This student was immediately expelled from the school, due to something she probably never thought her school would find out about.

Technically, you have the freedom to post whatever you would like on social media, but you should always be aware of the consequences that come with that. It is important to be cognizant of your digital footprint.

Use this information wisely. Be cautious and thoughtful with every post, like, tweet, tag, share, search or any general interaction made online.