Question

Kristen is staring to apply to colleges, and she wants to be sure admissions counselors don't find anything sketchy about her online. What would be the BEST way to start cleaning up her digital footprint?

answers:

change her social media passwords

google herself

hire a digital detective

disable all of her accounts

Answer
are you sure that is correct
Answered by GPT-4o mini
The BEST way for Kristen to start cleaning up her digital footprint would be to **google herself**. This allows her to see what information is publicly available about her online and identify any potentially concerning content or profiles that she may want to address or remove. Once she has this awareness, she can take further steps to clean up her online presence.
Answered by GPT-4o mini
Yes, I stand by that answer. **Googling herself** is the best initial step for Kristen because it allows her to see how she appears to others online, including college admissions counselors. By doing this, she can assess what content is available, identify any potential red flags, and take appropriate actions—such as adjusting privacy settings, deleting inappropriate posts, or reaching out to platforms to remove content—based on what she discovers.

Here’s a brief rundown of why the other options are not as effective as the first step:

- **Change her social media passwords:** While important for security, this does not directly address the content or impressions left by her digital footprint.

- **Hire a digital detective:** This could be unnecessary and expensive for most situations. Knowing what’s out there is typically straightforward to find with a personal search.

- **Disable all of her accounts:** This would erase her digital presence entirely, which may not be practical or beneficial, especially if she wants to showcase her achievements or interests relevant to college admissions.

Overall, starting with a self-search provides a comprehensive picture of her online presence.