Pinterest in a comparable manner allows users to save and organize information into ‘Boards’. These are used to present ones saves in a visual manner, aimed to spark ideas, creativity, or evoke a certain desire or emotion for whomever views it. One will hear the word aesthetic used regarding Pinterest as users aim to create boards matching what they believe to match a certain aesthetic appeal.

Pocket appears to be orientated towards longer form content, centring around more informative content. I found myself gravitating towards creating lists that contained articles on topics that I have a great interest in, however, one could use it in a comparable manner to Pinterest by tagging or creating lists that contain content surrounding ideas e.g easy lunch ideas.

Pinterest is orientated towards shorter form content, in the form of pictures, short videos, or small pieces of text. Due to it being largely picture dominant, I believe it gives the user more freedom of expression regarding what they save, and the particular atmosphere one tries to capture in a board.

Pinterest also benefits from having a search bar embedded into its interface. This allows users to access niche information directly in the app, while also giving users the opportunity to discover and follow fellow users. Pocket has the discovery page but the content it suggests seems more directed towards general topics. Overall, as social bookmarking tools both applications have their strengths and weaknesses, each possessing unique features that complement each other.

Pinterest and Pocket will allow me to present and publish information in an informative manner while simultaneously evoking certain emotions and feelings. These tools have allowed me to understand how information can be used to from connections between ideas. In the process of creating and curating boards and lists I discovered the influence a collection of visual data or articles can have in forming a comprehensive understanding or mental image of a general theme. I initially saw these applications as social media platforms of sorts rather than tools, however, now I see them for their effectiveness in depicting information, this effectiveness is supported by their ranking in the top three social bookmarking applications (Riserbato, 2023). I feel a sense of fulfilment having these tools at my disposal for future use, both for personal information management and for projects that involve sharing and publishing information. I would lean more towards using Pinterest, due to Pocket’s lack of a search engine and limited sharing abilities.

Using a map mashup such as Google My Maps will allow me to curate, share and represent information in a stimulating and interactive way. This activity highlighted the advantages infographics have over hard data. For instance, ‘amazing__maps’ on Instagram has over 100k followers and solely posts infographic map mashups, showcasing a recent shift in online engagement towards this type of information representation. This may be due to one’s ability to recall information being greater when acquired in a visual manner (Smiciklas, 2012 as cited in Murray et al, 2017). As a fan of infographics, I expected to enjoy this activity, which was the case, from finding data to customising the map it was satisfying learning experience. This exercise contained various aspects of digital citizenship, from creation to sharing, epitomising the user and digital space operating in tandem. Overall, I fell a step closer towards digital literacy with an understanding of this tool, which I see myself using in the future in both the creation process and as the critical absorber of information.

The combination of YouTube and Screenpal will now allow me to present information in video form, a highly popular method in todays digital age. This activity provided insights into creating and curating a video that holds viewers’ attention, while providing an informative content. As a YouTube user, I had an idea of how its space operated, however after engaging with it deeper, it displayed the difficulties one may face in creating a video of this manner. Our attention spans have dropped by approximately 25% from 2000 to 2015, highlighting the difficulties in capturing viewer attention (Hayes, 2023). Screenpal provided a positive insight, that advanced software is not necessary to create an impactful video with a global reach. Coupled with the YouTube editor, these free tools provided a space whereby I could develop my digital citizenship skills by creating and publishing content. Before beginning this task, I aimed to develop basic editing skills, after completion I feel encouraged to develop this skill further for future personal and academic use, this can be attributed to the creative aspect of this experience. Creativity is important for digital citizenship; therefore, we must be wary of the risked posed by visual content that is entirely AI generated (Jagwe, 2023). I must note Veed.io was used to add captions and images to my video.

Through this dialogue I have had the opportunity to reflect on the insights and skills I have developed that have aided and will continue to aid in my development as a digital citizen, which has further encouraged me to continue to immerse myself in the digital space. Overall, my engagement with these social media tools has provided me the ability to find, create, publish, curate, manage and share information with a particular focus on delivering it in a visual manner, which will prove itself as an invaluable skill moving forward. However, I have also learned to recognise that this ability must be supported by a critical and fundamental understanding of the digital world and how it operates in an interconnected manner with the user.

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Reinventing Instagram’s privacy policy highlighted its disregard for fundamental user rights, revealing a glaring absence of basic privacy on the platform. Instagram collects 79% user data, including financial information and fitness levels, to pass on to third parties. (Cuthbertson, 2021, Sec. 3). It is clear that platforms, like Instagram, prioritize their own gain over user privacy, and do not consider how this will impact our control of our online presence. This highlights the importance of users creating and adopting an airtight digital strategy that protects and maintains conscientious online activity. Immediately, I can see how my privacy policy, which encourages a safe and meaningful online presence, and mitigates the agendas of these platforms, is at variance with the lax policies of platforms like Instagram. Taking suggestions from (Get Safe Online, 2024, par. 2 & 6), I can implement basic measures to increase my privacy and safety online, like keeping my profile on private and being aware that ‘what is posted online stays online’. These steps will allow me to control my interactions and profile views, while encouraging me to limit the amount of data I share.

Utilizing Canva to create an infographic that outlines my digital strategy was a valuable learning experience, laying the foundations for establishing my values and goals. I will use this as a reference point to reinforce the necessary steps needed to maintain control over my online presence, ensuring meaningfulness and safety. Per (Chen & Yang, 2020, p. 12), exposure to information multiple times, strengthens recall and increases retention. Additionally, experience with Canva will allow me in the future to create additional visual content to present my values regarding my digital presence. Due to the visual nature of infographics, my interest and motivation in learning and achieving my goals will be increased (Katona et al, 2023, p.100). Canva’s wide variety of templates and designs provides the flexibility to present information in different modes depending on the target group or demographic. Therefore, when sharing my digital strategy, I can adjust the presentation style while maintaining the key elements. I must highlight the influence the E-Tutorials had on this activity: #1 provided the idea to include an analytics section within my infographic, while #2 introduced the power that visual storytelling has in effectively conveying information.

Setting up my LinkedIn profile provided valuable insights regarding how one can craft a professional online presence. Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn facilitates and fosters genuine connections which extend beyond the digital world, relating back to real life. Unlike other platforms, I felt comfortable and safe on LinkedIn, attributing this to the authentic nature of the app. User’s on this platform are certainly trying to create an appealing imagine, like users of Instagram or Facebook, however, this image is supported by real-world experience and achievements. LinkedIn does collect user data, but it appears to benefit the platform – personalising user content and increasing relevance (LinkedIn, 2024, sec. 2). Consequently, I had less privacy concerns and felt more confident presenting myself, thereby facilitating meaningful interactions, which will strengthen my reach on the platform due to an increase in engagement (Socialty Pro, 2019). The content of E-Tutorial #1 informed my ability to analyse this engagement using LinkedIn’s built in analytics tool to further gauge the impacts of my online presence. Overall, LinkedIn aligns with my digital strategy and does not require me to dissolve my autonomy to have a presence.

This reflection has allowed me to fully understand that a digital strategy is imperative to competently navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. Additionally, I now have the necessary skills and knowledge to create my own strategy and effectively implement it. This leaves me in a strong position regarding my online presence as I am confident that I am in control of the direction this presence will take now and in the future. On a broader scale, this E-Portfolio has also aided in my overall development as a digital citizen, providing essential skills to stay afloat in a sink or swim environment.