The idea of "digital permanence" is an intriguing and seemingly absurd thought. Permanence is also often referred to as 'forever' or 'infinity', a concept that us humans deem incomprehensible. The suggestion that something can last forever is mind-boggling to us and the idea of a post lasting for all of eternity is inconceivable. That said, digital permanence is a notion that we all have to be aware about. Anything you post onto the internet will be there for a very long time, and there is no way of taking it down.

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Your likes, posts, and tweets will all still be accessible years down the line. Angry comments written during times of hasty misjudgment can be viewed and downloaded potentially decades from now. Deleting these won't work. They are permanent; forever stuck in cyberspace. Anyone who has the motivation to find your digital footprint can and will find it. We've all heard of celebrities or politicians messing up big time online. Even if they quickly delete the post or comment, it will still be out there somewhere. The moral here is to consider what you're doing before actually doing it.

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Your online presence can be a great way of making a good first impression to prospective employers. In fact, countless employers will use social media platforms to screen candidates. Anything negative in a footprint can be mined up by the employer with a couple strokes of the keyboard. Colleges and universities will use this tactic as well. Even if you have been accepted, any substantially negative comments or posts from your social media accounts may result in your admission being revoked.

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It really all comes down to you and your decisions. How do you intend on using social media? Are you going to make the right choices? This will affect your future. Positive search results will be followed by a new job position while negative light will lose you that job opportunity. Your digital footprint is your new resume.