Digital Tattoos
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| Photo Credit: IWSMT |
Jordyn Sparks said it well when she sang, "Like a tattoo, I'll always have you." Most people think of our digital profiles as easy to customize, temporary, and simple to delete or remove your account if you need a break from social media. Unfortunately, it is not that easy... Think of your online presence as more permanent, like a digital tattoo. A digital tattoo is your digital image. Painting an image of who you are and how you are perceived online. Like a tattoo everything you post on social media never full goes away, leaving small traces or 'scars' behind.
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| Photo Credit: IWSMT |
One common reminder that old posts are still out there is when social media sites keep memories and share them with you. I personally enjoy when my social media and photo app highlight memories on a this day X amount of years ago but sometimes I am not as happy with the content I created in 2010 as I am with what I posted in the past month. Your image of yourself changes, but digitally, I'm still seeing posts of my teenage self which now don't align with my current beliefs and attitudes. I am happy to be reminded of how I have grown and given the opportunity to clean up some of my digital history that may not suit me quite as well now.
Facebook Then and Now
In light of my recent learning of digital tattoos, I decided to do a dive into my Facebook account. I've been a member of Facebook since 2009. When I go back to the beginning of my time on Facebook, I used the site in a more conversational way. Posts were about meeting up with friends and direct questions that only applied to a few instead of the masses. Now my social media identity is more refined and is about general things I find funny or quotes that inspire me. Many of my posts are positive and they paint an image of me enjoying my work, doing fun things with my family and friends, and funny/spooky memes. I think they do portray an accurate image of who I am at this time in my life. I do no post often but I stand behind what I do post. My social media accounts are mainly just for personal use, but it is nice to get positive feedback from those I care about. Below are some examples of my recent posts.
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| Photo Credit: Jenny Marose Facebook |
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| Photo Credit: Jenny Marose; Naperville Public Library 2023 Year in Review |
I don't have many other social media accounts that have as prevalent of a profile and posting system as Facebook. I mainly use SnapChat and Pinterest. During my Facebook dive I also decided to Google my "username" that makes up my Facebook URL to reveal only 3 results, none of which were me. Which makes me happy. I keep most of my profiles on private. When searching my full name and maiden name, I also could not find my profiles. They were buried by others with larger digital tattoos than me. While I know there are still ways for people to find these sites and learn more about me without my knowledge. It makes me feel better that I've made it one step harder in this digital age.
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| Photo Credit: Jenny Marose |
So, How Do Parents and Educators Help Future Generations?
Now a days, kids lives are public by default and there has to be a conscious effort made to have a private life for young people today. An interesting discovery from 2010 is that it is common for people to have a digital footprint or tattoo by only 6 months old! Courtesy of their parents and adults in their life. This is before a child can even communicate consent to having their likeness shared online. I'm sure if surveyed today, the starting age would be even younger.
This reminds me of when my nephew was born. My sister's in-laws were bursting at the seems that they couldn't post about his arrival because his parents, my sister and brother-in-law, had not posted about it yet. This also happened when they got engaged and were trying to reach out to key family members before announcing it online. Needless to say, they weren't happy that someone spilled their big news before they were ready. In the case of my nephew's arrival, they were forced to speed up the process and announce the arrival of their baby boy online the day he was born. I'm not sure this is something they would have done if not for the social pressures they felt around social media.
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| Photo Credit: Digital Tattoos, N. Zumpano |
Ultimately, you’re the most important role model your kids have. Sure, their friends are important to them, but the way you behave and fulfill your responsibilities will have a profound and long-lasting effect on your children. (University of Rochester Medical Center, 2024)
Be curious.
Jenny
You also share a very important topic, which is parents posting about their children on social media. I have definitely seen the dark side of this, especially from a TikToker who posts her toddler, and the content is not the most innocent. This poor child is the subject of many ungodly thoughts at the hands of the viewers. Other TikTok creators have tried to shed light on this situation with this young child but the mother says that she isn't doing anything wrong (which is not the consensus among a lot of viewers). However, on the flip side, I think that posting your children can have their upsides, such as keeping distant family up to date with how your little one is doing. I think that as long as you are not trying to start a Family Lifestyle vlogs, then your child *should* be fine, depending on your privacy settings on your social media.
ReplyDeleteThank you for an insightful post!
Hey Janet, I totally agree with you there are posts of children on social media that feel more appropriate than others. If it is a general update and overall positive or humorous that seems to be socially acceptable. When parents start pushing content out and you can see the child does not agree or like it, then it should be time to step back and rethink what you are choosing to share. You make an excellent point about being cognizant of privacy settings when sharing content about children under 13.
DeleteHello Jenny!
ReplyDeleteI resonated with your example about how our old social media posts represent our digital tattoo. Similar to you, I sometimes enjoy seeing the notifications like "5 Years Ago Today," but as you explained, the content I posted when I was younger is much different than the content I post now. Although I do not deeply regret anything I have posted, I would not use the same captions I was using when I was 16 years old. I enjoy your positive outlook on this matter! I agree that it represents our growth as we continue to grow wiser and navigate our technology. This is why I believe educators and parents should inform students and young adults about their digital tattoo and provide them with the tools they need to navigate technology appropriately.
Thanks for sharing your ideas. I enjoyed reading your blog!
Hi Jenna, I relate to you that I don't regret anything I had posted because I know it was just part of that time of my life. I would probably not be posting the same kind of content now though as I've become more conservative with age to what I contribute to my online presence. I agree with you, that unlike us who learned it through trial and error, we can help future generations learn this lesson early on to share their voice in a way that best represents them.
DeleteHey Jenny! If I could retweet this blog I would! I also love the memories from previous years, but oh my goodness! Some of the things I get embarrassed. Like why would I make that post at the age of 13? Honestly, I could make a great lesson to show junior high kids that the stuff you post is always with you even 10-15 years later. They would probably laugh at the stuff I posted too, but it would be a good learning moment for them. AND... give them something to make fun of me. Sometimes I will have posts pop up from 2013 on Facebook saying "who's up" and I get slightly embarrassed that I posted that. Then I have to think that my friends were also making those posts ten years ago. I agree that there is definitely pressure with social media. Especially when it comes to a new baby arriving. This makes me think in the future how will I share that information when I have a newborn in the years to come?
ReplyDeleteHey Mayci, That is a great idea to teach your students about their digital tattoos. I love connecting with teens at work by laughing at my own expense in a lighthearted way. It tends to help stick with them in a relatable way. Like hey I know I'm old now but I promise you I was a teen once and here's what happened... Yes, it was slight embarrassing and sometimes awkward but also so much fun, silliness, and amazing memories and lessons that helped create who I am today. Your last question is a hard one to think about as someone in a similar point in their life. I hope you do what you feel is best for you and not just because you feel pressure to do so. Thank you for your kind words!
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