The Hidden Dangers of the Digital World
For this week’s post, I chose to reflect on some topics we discussed in class. Our lives in today’s world and our digital presence are meshed with the internet in ways we would have never believed a few decades ago. Our digital footprint can be widespread, from online banking to social media, blogs and email. We leave a wide range of details about our lives, and anyone can search for you and find a detailed picture of who you are. One significant topic I wanted to discuss was cyber-vigilantism and cyber-shaming. This topic hits close to home for me as someone I know has experienced it, and they have given me permission to share this story.
Cyber-vigilantism and cyber-shaming can become a severe problem as individuals or groups of people can take things into their own hands. What I mean by this is a hacker taking control of your digital profiles and changing your digital footprint. My friend recently got hacked by someone, and they took over every form of social media or account you could think of. This hacker hacked into my friend’s emails, social media, apple ID, and bank accounts. They also ended up changing all accounts and even took a considerable amount of money from my friend’s bank account.
The hacker sent a threatening email saying they had taken over all their accounts and had been watching them for months, collecting information and personal data. In the email, the hacker threatened to expose personal information if a certain amount of money was not paid to them. My friend did not give in to threatening email, and then the hacker began harassing my friend through various means of communication like sending emails, calling, and texting. The messages they were leaving were threatening to expose everything about them to ruin their life if they did not comply with their demands.
The hacker took things into their own hands to get what they wanted by trying to scare my friend into complying with them. They ended up posting private information and inappropriate content to my friend’s accounts, changing their digital footprint and tarnishing their reputation. After going to the bank and police and talking to any other companies they needed to figure things out, my friend finally got some of their accounts back. Now, my friend is working to try to remove unwanted posts and information online to protect their privacy with the help of the police. This incident significantly impacted my friend’s personal and professional life, as they were publicly exposed online, a situation that no one should have to endure.
Digital footprints are a double-edged sword because they can be incredibly useful but have potential risks or dangers. While the internet allows us to communicate with people all over the world, it can also be potentially dangerous as it can expose us to identity theft, unwanted servalence, and harassment or bullying. My concern after this incident is our lack of control over our information or data after posting it online, as it is extremely difficult to remove it completely. This can be dangerous for young people who may not fully understand the implications of their online actions.
The digital world presents us with both opportunities and challenges. By educating students and individuals on responsible online behaviour and safe digital practices, we can empower them to understand how to protect their privacy while maintaining a positive digital footprint. Educators should emphasize this crucial aspect of digital literacy by utilizing diverse educational tools and methods to teach students about the profound impact cyber-vigilantism and cyber-shaming can have on an individual. Understanding the prevalence and importance of teaching these skills puts into perspective the crucial role digital literacy plays in today’s society.