Everything Finds its way to the Internet

In class, we discussed many different topics like cyber-shaming, cyber-vigilantism, digital footprints, and digital rights. All of these are great topics to ignite thoughts and discussions about different values and actions that we as members of the digital community can take.

Some people have a digital footprint before they are even born. Say a mother posts a picture of her pregnant belly, now that unborn baby exists on the internet somewhere. The baby does not have a say on if they want to be on the internet, but there they are. This would not affect the baby in any negative way, but it raises the thought of how much of your life is out there on the internet, even if you do not choose to have it out there.

For example, when I was in high school I was heavily involved with all sports teams. While you participate on these sports teams you sign a media release waiver. Now I did not think of it much then and did not think it would affect me so I signed it and played the season. As the season went on I kept getting leader post articles sent to me by family and friends. The Leader-Post had been posting updates of each weekly game and my name was mentioned a few times in different articles. At the time it was pretty sweet being in the paper and mad, but now it’s a little creepy since I am a few years out of high school, but all of those articles still show up when you search my name. That chapter of my life closed a while ago, but it will always be a part of me on the internet. It makes me think maybe the internet is forever. Obviously, 4 years has not been forever, but for it to still show up now makes it clear it’s not in a rush to go anywhere. When my grandkids search up my name in 60 years are they going to find that? The fact that it’s possible is so crazy to me. For reasons like that it is so important that we are careful with what we post online or what is posted of us. Even if we do not post anything it can find its way to the internet.

A good example of this is the story of Monica Lewinsky. While watching Monica Lewinsky’s Ted Talk, Monica Lewinsky: The price of shame | TED Talk, I thought to myself, “Who is Monica Lewinsky?” and she was right when she said, “You probably only know me from rap songs”. That is honestly where I’ve heard the name before. Specifically, “Erase Me” by Kid Cudi and Kanye West. So, I searched Monica Lewinsky and right away all of her scandals popped up instantly despite them happening almost 30 years ago. Now, having no prior knowledge about Monica Lewinsky, I am well aware of exactly what happened between 1995 and 1997 between her and Bill Clinton. When she says, “I was patient Zero of losing a personal reputation on a global scale almost instantaneously” I believe it. That time was right near the beginning of the participatory mediascape so something like this would have spread like wildfire.

It makes you think about how anyone on the internet can be judge, jury, and executioner. Anyone can have an opinion and that is totally normal, but the internet gives everyone a platform to share and collaborate with like minded individuals. This is such a double edged sword because it can be great for creative, inventive ways, and then it can tear someone apart whether right or wrong. I think the internet has given people a false sense of security. First, people think they can say whatever and there are no consequences. Second, the anonymity and lack of being face to face has given everyone the idea that they should be all up in everybody else’s business. In ways that’s what apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and BeReal promote. People want to show off what they are doing for attention, likes, reposts and everyone that sees it now has an opinion on it and is free to comment, agree, and disagree as they see fit.

I don’t know how to combat these negative things of the internet, but I do know how to keep myself out of it. I don’t really post much to Instagram or snapchat, but when I do I am well aware of the fact that anyone could see it. I keep that in mind when I do most things on the internet. I imagine myself at center court of a filled arena and everyone is watching what I’m doing. If I wouldn’t do it there why would I do it on the internet where all of those people can see it and more? In reality, I would have massive stage fright to do anything in that moment, but you get what I mean. In a lot of ways I see that people think their digital and physical lives are separate when that is not the case at all. They are intertwined as we can have an affect on someone’s physical life while interacting with someone digitally. Similarly our lives are affected by what we do digitally. It seems like everything eventually makes its way to the internet in some way, shape, or form whether we like it or not.