What is a Digital Footprint?

What is a digital footprint?

Your digital footprint is the digital trail you leave behind whenever you engage in activities on the internet. This trail comprises various pieces of information that can include your online behavior, personal details, interests, preferences, and so much more.

There are two main components of your digital footprint: the active and the passive footprint.

Let's take a look at them both.

Active footprint

Your active footprint consists of the data that you intentionally and proactively share online. This includes the information you willingly share on social media platforms, via email, or input into online forms.

Think of the details that are often included in an individual's social media profile bio, such as their name, location, date of birth, relationship status, family members, and place of work.

An active footprint can also include your social media posts or comments, or the photos and videos you upload.

Essentially, this active aspect of your digital footprint is made up of the information that you volunteer, and that you choose to disclose, knowingly and willingly, with the online world.

Passive footprint

In contrast, your passive footprint refers to the data that is collected about you without your direct knowledge or active participation. This data is gathered through various means, such as cookies, website analytics, server logs, and other tracking technologies such as fingerprinting.

Your IP address, browsing history, search queries, the websites you visit, the time you spend on different online platforms, and what devices you use all contribute to your passive footprint.

It's this type of digital footprint that causes the most concern, since internet users aren't always aware of how much data they are leaving behind, what it is used for, or even how to stop it.

Online activities that expand your digital footprint

Pretty much anything and everything you do online will add to your digital footprint. But to give you an idea of what we're talking about here are some activities that add to it:

• Social media engagement: Posting updates, photos, and personal information on social media platforms. It can also include your opinion posts and comments.
• Online shopping: Making purchases and providing personal and financial details during the checkout process.
• Newsletters or blogs: Creating a user profile or account to receive blog updates or newsletters.
• Web browsing: Visiting websites, conducting searches, and clicking on ads or links.
• App usage: Installing and using mobile applications that request access to your data. For example, online dating and fitness trackers and their associated apps add significantly to your digital footprint.
• Email communication: Sending and receiving emails, which may contain personal information.

Why should we care about our digital footprint?

The larger your digital footprint the greater the risk to your privacy. The more information that is out there on the web, the easier it is for malicious actors or advertisers to access your personal information. This can potentially lead to targeted advertising or worse...

We tend to forget that all this data collected has to be stored somehow.

As internet users, we are often left with no choice but to blindly trust that these data-hungry organizations will do a good job of securing it.

However, no data storage system is without its vulnerabilities, and data breaches are an increasingly common occurrence.

Our personal data is a valuable resource, and as such, data storage systems are a treasure trove attracting bad actors.

With even just a few of the details that comprise a digital footprint, cybercriminals can conduct all sorts of cyberattacks and fraud, including identity theft.

But it's not just the malicious actors that you need to be worried about.

Advertisers, analytics companies, and even social media platforms collect and analyze this data to create user profiles for targeted advertising.

This manipulative practice can have serious real-life ramifications. For example, when loan or credit card companies prey on people with low-income or struggling single-parent families.

Who might have access to your digital footprint?

As we've just mentioned, your data doesn't always stay with the organizations that collect it. Depending on how it is collected and shared, your digital footprint could be accessed and viewed by many different entities.

Some of them are legit with legitimate reasons, but some are not.

Let's take a look at the potential parties that could have access to different aspects of your digital footprint and what they can do with it:

Online platforms and services: Social media platforms, search engines, online shopping websites, and other online services often collect data directly from your interactions with their platforms. The data is often used to improve their services but it may also be used to create user profiles and show targeted advertisements.

Advertisers and marketing companies: Advertisers often utilize data brokers and marketing companies to access user data that makeup elements of their digital footprint. They use this information to target specific advertisements based on your interests and online behavior.

Third-party apps and websites: Many websites and mobile applications integrate third-party tools, such as analytics services or social media plugins. These third-party entities can collect data about your interactions on the app or website, contributing to your digital footprint.

Data aggregators and brokers: Companies known as data aggregators or brokers compile and sell large datasets that include various pieces of information from multiple sources, potentially including elements of your digital footprint. These datasets are often used by marketers, researchers, and other organizations.

Employers and background check services: In certain cases, employers or background check services may access publicly available information from your digital footprint to conduct pre-employment screenings or assess a candidate's suitability.

Government and law enforcement agencies: Government agencies and law enforcement may obtain access to certain aspects of your digital footprint through legal (and sometimes not legal) means, such as subpoenas or warrants, for investigative or security purposes. Even your private Facebook messages can be accessed and used against you.

Hackers and cybercriminals: Unfortunately, cybercriminals may attempt to gain unauthorized access to your digital footprint data through hacking, phishing, or other malicious techniques, putting your privacy and security at risk.

How to reduce and protect your digital footprint?

Reducing and safeguarding our digital footprint is essential to maintaining control over our personal information. Unfortunately, with the heavy reliance on online services, it is almost impossible to leave absolutely no trace. But there are steps that you can take to reduce and protect what you leave behind.

Check your digital footprint

The first thing you will want to do is to see how much information about you is already widely available. There are a few ways to do this:

• Put your own name into a search engine and see what information is returned.
• Visit your social media platforms as a guest and search for yourself to view your profile as a stranger.
• Or use an online digital footprint checker to find out which companies store your details.

Delete old accounts

The average internet user will have entered their details thousands of times over the years, signing up for services, accounts, newsletters, blogs, competitions, or shopping online. The footprint checkers mentioned above let you see what companies or websites have a hold of your data.

If they return websites or services that you no longer use, the checker will usually have an option that allows you to instantly send a deletion request.

Lock down your social media profiles

Set your social media profiles to private so that you're only sharing with people you know and trust. But remember, social media accounts can still be hacked or experience data breaches, so to be on the safe side, be mindful of what and how much you share on social media.

Use private browsing

Google Chrome is not the only browser out there. There are a number of privacy-focused browsers that are designed to minimize data collection and prevent tracking by advertisers and other third parties. That said, these browsers aren't able to stop all trackers or fingerprinting. They can help sure, but if you want to be completely untraceable, you'll need something more.

Use Hoody

Using a dedicated privacy tool like Hoody can significantly reduce your digital footprint. This app feeds false data and fingerprints to websites and their trackers, meaning your identity can't be connected to your online activity. Unless you actively choose to enter data online, then your data is unreachable and you can be completely anonymous.

Time to take care of your digital footprint

Every online interaction leaves behind a trail of information that can be accessed and used by various entities. Cybercriminals, advertisers, data aggregators, and even government agencies may have access to elements of our digital footprint. This is not just a violation of our privacy but it also puts us at risk of targeted advertising, invasive surveillance, fraud, and identity theft.

Being proactive about managing our digital footprint is one of the best ways to protect ourselves and preserve our online privacy.

By taking precautions, privacy-conscious individuals can navigate the digital landscape without leaving behind unnecessary and potentially harmful traces of personal information.

Learn more: 10 Ways To Improve Your Privacy Online