While there are many potential benefits of using digital technologies, such as social connection and access to information, there are also some risks involved. Invasion of privacy, cyberbullying, and misinformation are a few examples of vulnerabilities users may deal with. However, there are strategies to reduce risks.
What is a digital footprint and why does it matter?
Your “digital footprint” is a term used to describe the trail of information that you leave from online activities. It is important to consider your digital footprint because the things you post online, regardless of privacy settings, may be saved. Even comments that you think are anonymous can be connected back to your identity.
Given that everything you do online is permanent, it is important to be thoughtful about what you share online. A good rule of thumb is that if you would be embarrassed for a parent, teacher, or future employer to see what you post, you should not be posting it. Although some messaging apps claim that messages, photos, and videos will “disappear” or “expire” after a set amount of time, there are ways to get around these features, and once a picture or video is sent, there is no guarantee of privacy.
How to protect your privacy and security
There exist multiple levels of privacy. On social media, making your accounts private can reduce the odds of strangers seeing what you post. Though, as mentioned above, it does not guarantee privacy. Additionally, you should never share personal information such as your name, address, birthday, or town online.
Privacy applies to companies as well. Some ways to protect your personal information from companies are to not accept cookies on websites and only provide the required personal information to sites and apps. Companies may use your data in ways you are not comfortable with, and depending on what you click agree to when you pretend to read the privacy policy (and let’s be honest, none of us really read that thing), you may also be giving the companies permission to sell your information.
Additionally, never share your passwords with anyone. Even if you trust your friend, for all you know, their little sibling could get a hold of their phone and post from your account, as an example. Also, do not reuse passwords.
Deciding who and what to trust
Misinformation has become extremely prevalent online, and with the emergence of deepfakes and AI technology, misinformation may now also look incredibly convincing.
Here are some general tips on how to tell if a website and the information posted is reliable:
Check the sources. Reliable information will include references to its sources. Look for the name of the organization, the author(s) of the website, and the most recent date that the information was updated. Think critically about any biases the source may have and if they may have an agenda or opinion they are trying to pass off as fact.
Check the URL of websites. Generally speaking, sites that are .org, .gov, or .edu are more trustworthy than .com or .net.
Check the appearance. Are there spelling errors? Does the site or profile look well-run? Does it seem like they are trying to sell something?
Check the facts. If you’re looking for facts, check out a few different websites to compare information. If you find the same information from a few different sources, you can be fairly sure you’ve found the correct information.
Check with people. Librarians and teachers are usually good resources to help you identify accurate and trustworthy websites. If you’re looking for reliable health information, you can ask your health care provider(s) what sites they recommend.
Check your gut. If something feels “off,” it likely is. Given the development of AI image generators, fake photos and even videos may look more convincing than you would expect. If there is a weird quality in an image, or there is a lack of information regarding the source of an image (no photographer/videographer credit), it is possible the image is fake.
Outside of misinformation, you also need to have discernment when it comes to calls and messages. For example, you should not click on any links if you receive an email from an unknown sender, as the link may contain malware that hacks your computer. Never share financial or personal information online if contacted for it– if your bank “desperately” needs your social security number, they would send you a letter.
There are many games and websites that allow you to connect with strangers. Do not join audio or video chats with strangers, as they may say or show you sexual things that could make you uncomfortable. Additionally, you cannot guarantee that the people you speak to are who they say they are, even if they send you a picture of themself. Do not share any personally identifiable information (full name, photo of your face, etc.) online unless it is with someone you know offline (like a friend from school or a coworker).
Common challenges and how to handle them
Pressure from others to send pornographic images of yourself. Please know that anyone who pressures you into sending sexual images or messages is not someone worth keeping around. It is not an issue of “trust,” it is about protecting yourself. If you are in a situation where you have already shared this information and it has been spread, here are some steps you can take
- Speak to a trusted adult
- If you are a minor and the photo is explicit, consider contacting the police. It is illegal for people to spread pornographic images of minors.
- Consider taking a break from social media. If you are coping with an issue regarding a private image or message being shared, this may indicate you do not have a healthy relationship with technology. Taking space can give you time to reflect upon the situation
- Know it is not your fault. While it was not the best choice to share personal information online, it does not mean it is your fault if someone violates your trust. You can and should make different choices regarding sharing this type of content in the future, but you should not blame yourself.
Coping with emotional challenges. It may be tempting to go to online spaces to cope with distress. If possible, it is always best to lean on offline support, such as friends, family, or a therapist/guidance counselor. That said, if you are in a situation where you need immediate help and your support system is not available, your best option is to talk to someone at a crisis hotline. These individuals are trained to help you through difficult situations. Do not turn to an AI chatbot, social media, or strangers online during times of emotional crisis – they are not properly trained for these situations. These can potentially make your issues worse, and if you are in a vulnerable state, you are more susceptible to exploitation and advice that can worsen your situation.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.