Smart students pay attention to their reputation online

If you grew up with the Internet, you know that it remembers all, from ill-advised photos to inappropriate in-jokes. So it is never too early to start protecting your online reputation. This way, when teachers, professors, coaches, potential employers, or possible boyfriends or girlfriends look you up, you know they won’t unearth anything that could hurt you. The following four tips will help:

Use the mom test

According to a study from Kaplan, 31 per cent of college admissions officers said they visited their applicants’ social media pages, while Jobvite.com found that 93 per cent of employers did the same before making a hiring decision. Additionally, 55 per cent of job recruiters said they had reconsidered a candidate because of what they found online. Before posting something, ask yourself: would my mother post this about me? If the answer is no, then you may be in danger of hurting your reputation. Don’t do it.

Google yourself regularly

You’ve Googled yourself before (it’s okay, everyone has). Keep it up. While this certainly won’t catch everything, it is a good way to monitor what others might be saying about you. “Think about setting a Google alert, which will do the hard work for you,” explains Shelly Smith, director of Telus Wise, established to educate Canadians on wise Internet and smartphone habits. “And, if you discover a negative posting or comment, take steps to have it removed.”

Read the fine print

The Internet has good manners, frequently looking for permission. When asked to accept a site’s terms, do you instinctively click “yes” or do you read the fine print? Make sure you pay attention before agreeing or else you may be surprised when your friends start getting spam with your name on it.

A strong password is priceless

With so many different accounts, you probably have a slew of passwords. Nevertheless, it’s imperative to make sure every single one is strong. That means avoiding your name, birthday, or other obvious choices. “You can go further by incorporating different cases, a variety of random numbers or playing with obscure acronyms. And whatever you do, don’t share your password with anyone,” says Smith. Posting updates and chatting with friends is second nature, but the things you write today could come back to haunt you tomorrow. You can learn more about maintaining your online reputation at telus.com/wiseincontrol.