I was lucky enough to grow up in a time before the digital age, an era often lovingly referred to as Generation X. Our mistakes were often forgotten with time, Our embarrassing moments and missteps didn’t haunt us for years to come and we didn’t have our jobs and livelihoods put in jeopardy because of something we did when we were a dumb teenager.
Dodged so many bullets
by inmemes
However, in today’s digital world every post, comment, or photo we share online contributes to our digital footprint, shaping how others perceive us and potentially following us indefinitely. This permanence means that even the smallest indiscretions can have long-lasting effects on a person’s reputation and future opportunities. But should these mistakes of our past have an expiry date? Should employers, schools, and even potential romantic partners conduct online searches to learn more about us and make snap judgements based on what they find?
Here I am now, in my forties, about to become a teacher. I have done my fair share of stupid things in the past but I have learned from these mistakes and grown and changed. The me of today is very very different from the me of a month ago let alone ten or twenty years and lucky for me growing up in age without social media, I haven’t had to worry about having those things follow and haunt me forever. In today’s digital world, we have to protect ourselves and individuals from the potentially harmful consequences of a permanent digital record, such as those faced by Monica Lewinski for over twenty years.
While some feel cyber-vigilantism is often defended as a form of justice where individuals become judge, jury and executioner and hold individuals accountable for behaviour deemed as inappropriate or offensive. While it can have positive outcomes, more often than not it does more harm than good by providing a socially acceptable way for self-appointed “authorities” to commit online harassment and harm individuals’ reputations without due process. They can even take things a step further with cyberbullying such as was the case for Alec Couros detailed in the blog The Curious Case of Srkj Rife, “Victim”-Turned-Harasser.
While it is clear that we need to strike a balance between accountability and forgiveness in the digital realm, how exactly to go about it is complex. Perhaps creating multiple online identities tailored to a specific audience is the best way to keep our personal and professional selves completely separate and ensure that we are not haunted by our past mistakes forever.