Personal Learning Networks and Digital Identity


Hi Molly, 

Thank you for your thoughtful and vulnerable response. I share your fears about what could be on the internet about myself that could impact my future. When I googled my name, I realized that you can discover a lot about my life. This terrified me, and although I have always been very careful, I am always concerned about what could be taken in a negative way. I agree with you that the “cancel culture” we are a part of is quite scary, but in a way, I also think it is good to hold people accountable. Yes, people make mistakes and should have the opportunity to fix those, but I think this culture will force people to think further before posting. The internet is forever, and hopefully this idea of cancel culture will fight against cyberbullying and spreading hate while hiding behind a screen. You may want to consider creating social media accounts with the purpose of education and teaching. This way, you can keep your personal and professional lives separate. I know this is definitely something I will be doing in the near future! I recently took a course for a summer job and in the section about online presence, it made the statement “don’t post anything you wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing on the front page of a newspaper”. It sounds like you are very aware of your online presence and understand both the advantages and disadvantages of your digital identity. Very well done! 

Source: “RESPECT IN SPORT.” Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders, bcca.respectgroupinc.com/course/program.jsp.

Post #1 – PLN’s & Digital Identities

Hi Emily,

I really enjoyed reading your response to this week’s prompt. I was also shocked to learn that your digital identity is far more than just your presence on social media. AlthoughI found the World Economic Forum video a bit hard to follow, I was interested in how important digital identity is to economics. I thought it was important that they not only discussed efficiency, but also security and privacy (World Economic Forum, 2019). I definitely get anxious when putting my banking information online, which is why it is so important to feel comfortable with the source you are using. On another note, I recently had to complete an online background check for a summer camp position I will be starting this summer. I had to complete a survey in which they asked questions about myself, including my phone provider, social insurance number, and address. I was next to my mother who stated “it is scary how much they know!” Our digital identities encompass everything we have ever put online, whether we realize it or not. This is scary, but a good reminder to make sure you are cautious with what you are putting out there. Great work on your response, I look forward to reading more of your work 🙂 

Source: World Economic Forum. “Davos 2019 – Press Conference The Value Of Digital Identity For The Global Economy And Society”. Youtube.Com, 5 February 2019, 25:35-25:55, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-V7lyxrOmw.