Recently I gave a presentation at my daughters school. This is one of those new 'tech-based' high schools where every child has an iPad and they are encouraged to use it to communicate their ideas to each other through Twitter and various other forms of social media. I was a guest presenter volunteering my time to talk about mining and conservation. This is something I do quite often for schools, community groups and universities.
Following my presentation (that was delivered with all the expression, enthusiasm and gusto akin to the late Steve Irwin) one of kids posted a photo of me with the caption: "This guy is really interesting........NOT!"
Did it hurt? Maybe just a little, but I am old enough and ugly enough to get over it. In comparison to some of the comments from Trolls that have been directed at my "less-finer" moments on nature documentaries, this young girls comment was was nary a blip on the Richter Scale!!
What is my point?
High school now starts in Year 7, so a great majority of the kids are entering this tumultuous environment a with far fewer life skills than perhaps we might have had (we being the +40s).
It is clear to me that, by virtue of the need to 'tech up' our kids, our teachers are engaged in a never ending battle to educate the kids on the positive and negative consequences of the digital footprint they leave behind in their fervent scramble to express themselves online. As a result, sometimes kids post things that they perhaps should not, and once out there, they can't take those posts back.
So here is an interesting example of how your digital footprint can work against you.
About 2 years ago I was looking to employ a professional environmental
consultant for a brilliant role in the Kimberley. The mine site was located in
the picturesque Ragged Ranges, adjacent Lake Argyle. I
was specifically searching for someone local to Kununurra, as employing locally
would confer many bonuses to the mining company in terms of economy and positive
public perception.
Against the odds, I found my candidate! He had several years of mine
site experience, lived in Kununurra, was at the correct professional level for
the role and he was available. After speaking with him it seemed all systems
were ‘green light go’. As I often do, I decided to check his digital footprint.
I was shocked and disturbed to see that his Facebook profile photo showed him
standing on the edge of a billabong with a juvenile (1.2 m) fresh water crocodile
hanging dead in his hand. On closer inspection it looked like the animal had
been shot in the head. Worse still, my ‘ideal candidate’ had a smile on his face as if he
were a hunter holding up his trophy kill.
I never spoke to him again. I
simply emailed to inform him he would not be considered further for the role.
Did he shoot the crocodile? I will never know. Would he have been
brilliant in the role of Environmental Advisor? I will never know.
The message
about the permanency of one’s digital footprint must sound so draconian and,
probably at times, nauseating to the kids that are hearing it every day. But if
a picture speaks a thousand words, an internet post speaks an order of
magnitude more for ever and all perpetuity.
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