Each one of these scenarios may seem extraordinarily bizarre when described out of context. However, millions of people engage in all of these behaviours every single day, on a platform called the internet. Not only are these experiences quite normal, but they are often enacted and experienced by extremely young people who post content or interact with other people’s content.
Connections are the basis of all human societies. The way we connect with each other defines our collective identity as a community. As such, we have evolved to maintain certain boundaries and etiquette to ensure that the activity of connecting with each other remains mutually pleasant and respectful. Yet, some of these boundaries have failed to be transferred to digital mediums, even though our behaviour and actions are just as impactful there as they are in real life.
The idea of a ‘digital footprint’ describes the impact we leave behind on the digital platforms that we use – whether in the form of a comment we make on a video, or even in the form of our search history. As we grow up, it is natural for us to make many errors. We may make choices or use words that are distasteful. However, more often than not, we grow out of our errors and correct our mistakes wherever possible. This entire process of growing up becomes vastly more difficult when the internet is involved because our actions on the internet are almost always permanent, and also because it is quite easy to cause others harm without realising our impact.
Our actions and words are stored on a public platform where billions of people can access them and pass judgements on them. We cannot predict how much information an individual can glean from a picture that we post, and neither can we predict how people may use that information. Even if we do choose to delete a post or message, there is a good chance that someone has already saved it or shared it in some way. Additionally, our ability to recognise our mistakes and correct ourselves also becomes impaired when we are allowed to interact on a platform where we do not necessarily always experience immediate consequences for our actions. These facts call for us to be extremely careful and thoughtful when using the internet so that we can ensure that we do not harm others while also keeping ourselves safe.
This new digital era brings so many new opportunities for our younger generations. In a similar manner, it also brings some hidden dangers and obstacles to personal growth. As young people, it is our responsibility to establish boundaries and rules for ourselves when we are online. After all, being good people should not be about whether we experience consequences for our actions, but about what impact we wish to leave behind on the world.