VOICES

In the modern world, your digital identity is as significant as your real-world one. For teenagers like you who are active on social media, online forums, and digital platforms, it's crucial to understand how to control this digital identity.

What is Digital Identity? 

Your digital identity is all about you online, such as:

- Social media accounts and posts

- Pictures and videos that feature you

- Comments on websites and forums

- Online gaming profiles and conversations

- School work you post online

- Apps you download and services you subscribe to

Unlike conversations in real life that individuals may forget, what you do online has a permanent record. Something you posted at age 13 can still be discovered when you're applying to college or for your first job.

Why Your Digital Identity Matters 

Your online identity can impact:

- Being accepted into college

- Getting a job in the future

- Friend and family relationships

- Your psychological well-being and how you view yourself

- Your safety and security

Building a Positive Digital Identity 

1. Be authentic but thoughtful.

• Say who you are on the internet, but consider whether what you're posting aligns with your values and how you want others to view you. Think about whether you'd be comfortable with a teacher or future employer seeing it.

2. Think before you share.

• Not everything needs to go online. Take into consideration the impact of putting up personal problems, disagreements with others, or pictures from all the events that you go to.

3. Engage in a positive way.

• Engage constructively in online discussion. Stand with those being harassed, provide helpful information, and lend your voice to causes that matter to you.

4. Manage your privacy. 

• Occasionally review your privacy settings on all sites. Understand who gets to see what you post and how your information is shared. 

5. Review your online presence.

• Search yourself online occasionally and check what's out there. Delete outdated posts that no longer represent who you are.

Remember that your digital identity belongs to you. Decisions today will enable you to build a beneficial digital legacy in the future, which you will be proud to have.

“Living in a Digital World” is a blog series which features Keys School Manila’s insights and tips on navigating digital tools which will allow students, teachers, and parents to uphold responsible media and technology literacy. This blog is the first in the series.