As social media and digital platforms have become closely intertwined with both
our professional and personal lives, it is important to observe how one’s digital identity
goes to promote their professional learning network (PLN) as well as personal privacy.
By utilizing a visitor and resident map, individuals can have a glance at their social
presence and consider changes to balance their professional and personal digital
identity.
In terms of professional networks, working professionals and students are
encouraged to build their profile on Linkedin; a platform that works to expand
professional networking and introduce career opportunities simultaneously. While
students might not have as much experience as other individuals, they are often
encouraged to build their profile early on as a base to expand on as their experience
progresses.
While the digital network has presented great results and more convenience in
terms of branching out professionally, issues of data privacy and security continue to
arise as a common concern. As individuals work to promote their person and
experiences tied to their digital identity, they simultaneously have to keep in mind how
much of their personal data is being exposed onto the network. While there is not one
answer to complete privacy, it might be easier to look at it as a price to pay in exchange
for expanding digitally and reaching new opportunities. It is important to note that while
promoting one’s PLN is crucial professionally-wise, certain privacy factors do limit how
far an individual can present themselves online.