Cybersleuthing: Why it’s important to build a digital identity

This week in our #EDTC300 course we dialled our focus on digital identity. Digital identity is an online identity that is adopted by an individual through what one posts, shares, likes, and so much more. If we want to get into more technical terms,  Techopedia describes digital identity as “an online or networked identity adopted or claimed in cyberspace by an individual, organization or electronic device. These users may also project more than one digital identity through multiple communities. In terms of digital identity management, key areas of concern are security and privacy.” For this post, our EDTC class was asked to team up with a partner and cybersleuth who they are. I believe this task was such a great way for us to explore digital identity as it prompts us to find out information on a peer that is available to the public online. As I was not familiar with my partner before completing this task, I was intrigued to see what I could find out!

I began my search with a simple google search and the first thing I noticed was that she must have a fairly common name as I found a few things that I was pretty sure were not her. For example, there was a link to a party planning book that was written by a person with the same name. As well as many links to articles about a gentleman with the same name who was arrested for an aggravated assault, and denied bail in Red Deer back in January. When it came to social media plate forms that popped up, on the first page of googling it was only Facebook and Pinterest accounts that popped up. I was able to find a couple of links to different Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and SoundCloud accounts as well, but as soon as I clicked on the profiles I was able to tell that none of the accounts was the same person I wanted to try to find by looking at the photos on these public accounts. After scanning the links and accounts that google provided that I knew were not my partner I decided to go back to click on my partner’s Facebook and Pinterest to see what I could find out; I also went and looked at her Twitter account as I am following her through our #EDTC300 group. I was able to see that she has an interest in fashion, nails, hair, beauty, photography, travel, and animals by looking at some of the categories and pins that she has on Pinterest.

It was on Twitter and Facebook that I was able to find that she is in her 4th year of secondary education with plans to be an ELA and History teacher, lives in Regina, is a supporter of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and has a passion for makeup. When I clicked over to the images tab on google I believe maybe only two images are actually of her. However, I am not 100% confident that it was her. If it is her, this is how I was able to find she won a singing contest in 2016 from Bolt FM, but again I am not completely sure this is her either. 

I’ve concluded that my partner’s digital identity could be seen as fairly locked down as she has a fairly common name when it comes to a google search, however, it is also a fact that if someone wanted to dig deep and they could find out a lot more than I was able to. What I was personally able to find was very respectable as well. 

After cyber sleuthing my partner I thought it would be interesting to see what I could find in regards to my own digital identity. I started by putting my chrome browser in incognito mode to prevent google from picking things that they think I would want to see. The first few things that come up are a link to my blog; my youtube channel which only has videos I have created for various classes and scholarships; my Facebook which is in another language that I am not even sure what it is; link to the scholarships I have received in the past; and a link to a Prezi that I created for a final assignment that I created for a class at one point. I also found quite a few links to an NHL hockey play stats with the same last name as me which there is no relation to. On the next few pages, the majority of the information that I was able to find was connected to my figure skating, volleyball, and basketball background. Whether it be official scores from competitions, local news articles covering games played, or the season we went undefeated in basketball. When clicking on the images tab there are a few selfies of myself from my Twitter and Facebook, as well as from past skating competitions/carnivals (Some of which I’m not even in), our basketball team, and then a few more that aren’t even of me or any relation to me. I did find it interesting though that there are a few photos of my classmate’s Twitter profiles if you scroll down enough. I believe that my digital identity is also respectable, and most of my personal accounts are private. 

Although this activity was meant to be fun, it was also there to remind us just how much someone can find out from a simple google search. Monica Lewinsky’s TedTalk was an excellent reminder of how much of a public place the internet is. As she reminds her audience that her story was back when the internet was just beginning, it’s important to remember that it is only continuing to evolve every day. Although what some individuals post does not need condoning people find a way to tear each other apart and even ruin someone’s life in the realm of cyberbullying; can even lead to situations of suicide. It’s so important to think about what we are posting and whether it with hinder our future in any way. When discussing situations like these in the classroom it is also important to remind your students that they have someone to talk to if they are ever put in a situation involving cyberbullying or feel they need someone to talk to in general.

After reading  Nicole Lee’s article on having multiple online identities, I began to think about my different social media accounts and whether I have created different Identities according to each one. Most of what Lee wrote I agreed with. My Instagram is where I post exciting or big things that are happening in my life. Facebook is how I keep in touch with all of my family or communicate with group members for projects as the majority of people have a Facebook account making it the easiest to contact each other. Snapchat is for communicating with friends and watching people’s stories. Tiktok is simple for content use and more recently documenting my learning. Lastly, Twitter is strictly for educational use and building a PLN. 

All of these articles and activities this week were such a great reminder of why it is important to build your own digital identity. Whether that be so employers can see your professional development or to try to filter out the negatives that may pop up that others have posted or you have possibly done in the past. It’s also important to remember that the internet is a very public place, and we should be aware of what we are posting as there can be consequences.