Managing your digital footprint

What is a digital footprint?

A digital footprint is the trail of information you leave behind online as you navigate through your favorite apps, websites, and games. For instance, when you:

• Stream music,
• Post pictures on social media,
• Like someone’s posts,
• Tag yourself in locations, or
• Purchase a pair of trainers,

all these activities contribute to your digital footprint. Each action adds to the overall picture of your online presence and tells a story about you. Your digital footprint grows continuously as you engage more online.

What can your digital footprint reveal about you?

Often, you’re aware of the information you share online. For instance, when you post videos or photos of yourself, your friends, or your family, or when you provide your email address to a website for presale access to concert tickets.

However, your digital footprint also includes information you might not even consider. For example:

• Websites track how often you visit, your location, and your IP address.
• Social media platforms monitor your likes, shares, and comments to tailor content they think you’ll be interested in.

All this data about you can be collected and tracked, often without you even realizing it.

Why do certain companies want to collect all of this information about you?

Some companies collect this information to personalize services for you. For example:

• TV streaming platforms use your data to remember which episode you’re on in a series or to suggest shows based on what you’ve previously watched.
• Music streaming services do the same by creating personalized playlists for you.
• Social media platforms analyze your data to display content they believe will interest you.

However, it’s important to remember that your information is highly valuable to these companies. They use it to keep you engaged by showing content that aligns with your interests, encouraging you to spend more time on their apps or platforms.

So, always keep in mind that “free” apps and services aren’t truly free—you’re paying with your personal information.

Is leaving behind a digital footprint a bad thing?

Leaving a digital footprint isn’t necessarily a bad thing—there can be benefits to it. For instance, if you get distracted while shopping online, the items you selected often remain in your basket when you return, making it easier to pick up where you left off. In this way, it can be quite helpful.

However, the key is to be mindful of your digital footprint because it’s relatively permanent and can shape your digital reputation, which is just as important as your offline reputation.

How to limit your digital footprint

Be honest about your age.

Social media platforms have specific protections in place to safeguard the personal data of young users. These measures are designed to enhance your experience and keep you safer, not to restrict you. Make the most of these protections by providing your real age when signing up for social media accounts.

Don’t get ‘nudged.’

Sometimes, apps will try to subtly push you into sharing more information than necessary. For example:

• The option they want you to choose is pre-selected, bright, and colorful, while the alternative, which asks for less information, is faded and harder to notice.
• An app might use playful or encouraging language like, “Share a photo and show the world how amazing you are!” to persuade you to give away more information.

Always choose the option that you’re most comfortable with, not just the one that’s easiest to click on.

Go Private

Consider setting your profile to ‘private’ so that only your friends can see what you like, post, and share. Remember, if your account is public, anyone—including people who don’t even have an account on that platform—can view what you’re sharing and discussing online. Anything can go viral, and once it’s out there, it’s out there for good.

Review your ‘personalization’ settings.

If you prefer not to have platforms show you content based on your activity, you can disable this feature in your privacy settings. This reduces the amount of information collected about you while still allowing you to explore trending content.

Turn off location tracking.

Be cautious about checking into places or tagging your location online. Sharing your location can pose risks, so it’s a good idea to turn off location settings if you don’t need them.

Conclusion

In today's digital world, managing your digital footprint is crucial. While the convenience and personalization offered by online platforms can enhance your experience, it’s important to remain aware of the data you’re sharing and how it’s being used. Your digital footprint is a reflection of your online presence, and just like your offline reputation, it needs to be protected and maintained.

By being mindful of your online activities, adjusting your privacy settings, and making informed choices about the information you share, you can take control of your digital footprint. Remember, the goal is not to avoid creating a digital footprint altogether, but to ensure that it represents you in the best possible light and protects your privacy in the process. Your digital presence is a powerful tool—use it wisely to build a positive, secure, and well-managed online identity.