Strategies for Teens to Manage and Enhance Their Online Reputation

Teenagers worldwide are keen to establish a strong digital footprint and create an online reputation that unearths new opportunities.However, the internet always presents an element of risk and some teenagers can, inadvertently or not, take actions that lead to long-term reputational damage.

In addition, research indicates that 30% of children aged 8 to 12 want to become YouTubers, of whom many undertake steps to ‘make a name for themselves’ once they become old enough to manage their accounts.

With that in mind, we will explore the practical strategies that teenagers can employ to protect their online reputation, create a positive digital identity, and not risk jeopardizing their future career opportunities.

Sharing Content: How to Protect Your Online Reputation as a Teenager

Whether using social media or participating in online communities, your online identity will be shaped by the content you post and share. In many cases, a person’s digital identity can be very different from their real-world identity, with people maybe feeling more comfortable exploring interests and subjects online than they would offline.

This can result in new personas, using a different tone of voice or writing style, and being more open to alternative ideas and thinking.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with assuming a different personality online, but for teenagers, there are plenty of common mistakes that can put cracks in your future plans.

So, don’t worry, don’t visualize being fired because you posted a meme, and try to tailor your approach to sharing stuff online according to the following pillars:

‘Delete’ Won’t Fix Everything

If you post something slightly controversial, offensive or divisive online and wish to remove it, don’t think you can erase it from existence just like that. It only takes a second for someone to screenshot a post and save it so it can resurface later. And that’s not even starting about web scraping—using scripts to automatically download all the data from a site or profile.

Don’t Make It Easy for Your Identity to Be Stolen

As scary as it sounds, worst-case scenarios like posting compromising photos or writing to your boss aren’t things you should worry about when it comes to identity theft. Even someone buying a TV, console or bunch of clothes can burden you with anxiety, debt and issues with online accounts. To prevent this:

Respect the rules of proper password management, and ideally all your passwords together

Don’t overshare and keep your profiles private—this will give identity thieves less material to work with

Always wonder why is someone asking to know something; even if it’s a friend asking you online—make sure it’s really them

Avoid Arguments

When encountering people on the internet, a rule of thumb is that some of them might take things too seriously. And even though they won’t seem malicious at first, they can easily ‘explode’ when argued with and thus become ready for anything.

There have been numerous accounts of people getting swatted, doxxed or even stalked IRL because they simply argued with someone online. Even if it’s a Call of Duty lobby, think about how easy it is to connect your in-game ID to your identity. So, don’t take the bait and don’t feed the trolls.

Don’t Break Copyright Rules

Major names like WSB, Universal and just about any publisher live off of the intellectual properties (IPs) they own. What that means is—Marvel owns the rights to everything related to Captain America, whether it’s movies, TV shows, advertising, depictions, toys, etc, and no one can use it without their permission. If they do, the legal and financial consequences can be debilitating.

The same goes for smaller brands and creators, who can be even more litigious. In February 2024 alone, 767 total cases had been filed with the Copyright Claims Board (CCB). And things are poised to get even more hectic, as laws about using art and data to train AI models still don’t exist.

If you aren’t sure about that meme, share it with friends privately and don’t risk copyright strikes resulting in your profile getting deleted.

Assess Your Digital Footprint

Occasionally, it is always a good idea to type your name into search engines and see what comes up. If there is anything a little inappropriate or embarrassing then find the source and try to have it removed as soon as possible.

However, be careful before attempting to contact the perpetrator or site owner. It might be best to consult a parent, caretaker or lawyer in terms of your legal rights in this particular situation.

How Parents Can Help

As a parent, you’re probably reading all this and thinking ‘How can I help my child from making online missteps?’ Well, the answer is that you’re going to have to educate yourself, not just in terms of online etiquette, but in terms of more technical aspects of your child’s online lives:

• If your child spends time making online purchases, do some research on the sites and their security measures. Things like having PCI-compliant hosting for secure payments, encryption and similar protection are always a good sign. Likewise, a lack of transparency on these issues is concerning.

• Contact your internet service provider (ISP) about available parental control features. You’ll probably be able to block certain websites or at least restrict time spent on them. Likewise, think about monitoring apps for extra safety.

• Simply talk to your kids. We know it sounds daunting (and oftentimes, it really is), but showing your kids you understand and that your advice can provide value is an essential part in getting your point across. Otherwise, you’re in for an uphill battle.

As well as a teenager’s reputation, it is also crucial to make sure everything is being done to avoid them falling from online scams or being a victim of cybercrime. This is especially the case if your child uses websites that involve online payments.

As a parent, your role is to advise the child about the security of the site they’re joining. Once you find out the name, you can research whether the site gets pen tested regularly, and do they undergo regular vulnerability assessments or anything else that might provide tangible proof that your child won’t be the victim of a potential data link.

Tips for Establishing Positive Online Engagements

We’ve talked about what to avoid and be careful about, but what’s the magic formula for establishing a ‘positive’ online persona? Well, there’s no single trick, teenagers can add these tips to their online arsenal for better results:

• When using LinkedIn, you should do so with your future career in mind, building relevant connections and engaging in the right way. Ensure your profile indicates you’re a real person who knows how to present themselves online.

• You can’t mix business with pleasure. In the case of Instagram, your profile can’t feature both professional photography and videos of your mate doing kickflips on his skateboard. If you want to post both, create a separate profile.

• Always view new connections at potential sources of recommendations. People get asked to recommend someone for a product or service. And chances are, they will recommend someone pleasant and confident over someone who’s just pure brains. Be the former.

• Don’t hesitate to share your knowledge or passions. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people, whether it’s through vlogging, traditional blogging, streaming or something completely new and groundbreaking.

Conclusion

The internet can be a difficult space to navigate, especially for young people who may feel under pressure to join in with new trends or get involved with inappropriate discussions. Don’t feel FOMO—instead, think and analyze how leaving a permanent online trace can be perceived a couple of years from now.

From using social media safely to preventing unauthorized access to accounts, you’re responsible for securing your online identity, while also ensuring that any content you create or share won’t be an obstacle to your career aspirations.

About the Author:
Ryan Harris is a copywriter focused on eLearning and the digital transitions going on in the education realm. Before turning to writing full time, Ryan worked for five years as a teacher in Tulsa and then spent six years overseeing product development at many successful Edtech companies, including 2U, EPAM, and NovoEd.