Questioning your Online Presence

I began my research with typing in "what does Google know about me?" I wanted to see what of my personal information was simply out there for people or hackers to eventually break in to. I wasn't surprised when I read that my information was far from private. Reading the Business Insiders Article, "How to see everything Google knows about you," I discovered that the browser records your search history, location, and voice searches. I have already recently noticed this feature because when I was simply TALKING to one of my friends about getting a Hydro-flask water bottle, the next day I received ads all across the social media sites on my phone. Another occurrence was when I was researching prom dresses on my laptop, and not even an hour later the ads for the dress shop had jumped onto my phone. The privacy issue is bigger than some may realize. 

My digital footprint so far has consisted of a few gymnastics articles written about me in my town's local paper, my YouTube channel where I post vlogs, my Instagram/Snapchat/Facebook media profiles, and any blogs/assignments I may have posted out for class related purposes. I have been taught since the time I was a kid that you needed to watch your online footprint, meaning you would keep your identity as secret as you could and be careful what you post out online. Any Snapchat you send, comment your write, or video you upload stays online forever even if you delete it. I know that for my social sites I have voluntarily gave out my email and phone number, however once I discovered all the ongoing surveillance around these media outlets, I created a fake email in order to keep myself better hidden. 

Looking into my Instagram in particular, I think that someone visiting my page would learn lots of personal information about me right off the bat. Although one thing that I do disclose is  my last name. This can oftentimes make it hard for my friends to find me, but keeps that further personal information dissociated from my social media accounts. The information that can be taken from my account is who I am associated or friends with, where I go to school and year in school, where I am from, the programs I am involved in, sports I participate in, and links to my other social medias. 

Lastly, in regards to how how these social media sites can make people feel, I believe they are the center of destruction in our new incoming era. People have become too focused on what others think of them, based on the amount of comments or likes the get on a post over the person they truly are. Social media has become a place of bullying, targeting people, starting drama, and making people feel more isolated than ever on a site that is supposed to do quite the opposite. I know that personally I have taken many breaks from using my different media outlets because I would be left feeling depressed or lonely when I would receive hate for simply trying to express myself. Social media has overtaken our means of communication in society and lately, I can no longer say with confidence that its for the better.