Digital identity is basic information on an entity that is used by computers to represent an external agent. The agent may include a person, organization, application, or even a device. A digital identity basically involves authentication to prove that it is really you using the internet. A digital identity to an individual is sort of their footprint on the web, it basically represents what you do, the things you share/post or on a professional level it is basically your portfolio. There are employers who are looking to hire people on the internet and by looking at this portfolio they basically see the potential a person can have and what they can offer to the organization.
Talking about freelancers who are a major part of the workforce on the internet we can say that digital identity for the local freelancers is very fundamental to their career progression and developing a good identity is very important for that. There are many online sites that help you guide on how to make sure you have a good digital identity. There is also a program known as ‘know your customer, it is an identity verification process that ensures a very safe online workplace for all freelancers. It basically encourages you to verify yourself in order to be a trusted member of the online community. There are basically three components of this program that are very essential for security.
- Proof of Identity: a valid government-issued ID.
- Keycode Verification: a photo of you holding a unique code (that we will provide on the Verification Center page) and your ID side-by-side.
- Proof of Address: a utility bill or bank statement under your name and address that has been issued within the last three (3) months.
If your identity already contains your current address then this is not necessarily required.
The digital identity for local freelancers is basically their portfolio and in order to establish and present an authentic digital identity, there are certain steps that you need to take or follow.
Step 1. In order to have a good or reputable digital identity, the first thing you have to do is get rid of stuff on the internet that is associated with you and is unfavorable. Any posts that you might have made in the past that give a negative image or a comment that you might have made and is controversial and especially any kind of content that might be even remotely sexual or explicit, you have to remove it immediately.
Step 2. You should create a personal website that will help you show your achievements. The content on this site should be focused more on your professional achievements but also highlight your personal accomplishments as well.
Step 3. Always try and share positive content and for this, you have to be able to get mentioned in online and print publications, stories, blogs, etc.
Step 4. Always keep yourself up-to-date with your online identity, search yourself on the google search engine. This will help you in knowing about any undesirable content that you should remove from the internet.
Step 5. Some people might get carried away by sharing stuff on the internet oversharing this is generally not a good idea. There can be content that you might be regretful about posting a few years later. Be cautious!
Step 6. Protect your device. Keep changing your passwords on a regular basis also keep your software up to date. Anti-virus is a must!
Always remember your digital identity can be stolen. Your online activity does leave a footprint and can be used by hackers and use it to post stuff under your name and also take over your accounts as well. Be cautious about it and use firewalls in order to make it difficult to be stolen.
