What You Need to Know About Your Digital Footprint
“What happens on the internet stays on the internet”
At The Cyber Helpline, we deal with cases where personal information is posted on the internet, sometimes by mistake, and sometimes by a cyber-criminal. Even though with the aid of GDPR we are able to mitigate potential damage, it’s always best to keep that saying in mind.
What is a Digital Footprint?
A digital footprint is a trail of data you create while using the internet. It includes the websites you visit, emails you send, and information you submit to online services.
There are two types of digital footprints: Active and Passive.
The Active digital footprint is all the data the user willingly posts online (Facebook posts, emails, blog posts etc.)
The Passive Digital Footprint is when data has been posted or collected without the user knowing.
Think fake Facebook profiles with your name, a mean tweet, or trackers on websites that collect enormous amounts of data.
Everytime you access the internet you leave a data trail which contributes to your digital footprint.
How can my Digital Footprint affect me?
Your digital footprint can affect you in many ways. One of the worst cases is when a potential employer searches you on social media and finds data that you have never wanted to be made public, or a mistake you made. There have been cases where potential employers have decided to not pursue the hiring process with a candidate due to their digital footprint.
Don`t be alarmed! There are plenty of other situations where your digital footprint can actually help you. Doctors, GPs and businesses rely on their digital footprint (reviews, ratings, published papers, etc) to take in new patients or customers.
The key here is to know what to look for and how to manage your digital footprint.
A good tool for this purpose is Google Alerts where you can set the service to send you an email every time your name appears online.
How do I reduce my Digital Footprint?
There are a few different ways to reduce your digital footprint, and it won`t just protect you from people trying to search but it will also help you avoid falling victim to scams or data breaches.
1. Check your digital footprint to understand what’s out there.
Search for your name on Google and popular platforms. You can also use Google Image Search, upload an image of yourself and Google which will show you similar images and where they live.
2. Delete or deactivate unused accounts.
Many services store data for long periods of time. Unfortunately, most of that data is sold to the highest bidder, or worse hackers get access to that list that might have personal information or passwords. Before signing up for an account, ask yourself if its something you really need and consider not creating an account, limit the amount of data you provide third parties where possible.
If you don't use the service anymore you can always delete or deactivate your account with them and delete all the data they have on you.
This website gives a difficulty rating on deleting your account on most websites and services.
3. Keep your social media accounts private and secure.
Occasionally, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter change their privacy policies or add a new feature that alters your privacy settings or give access to unwanted information. Check those settings after every update if possible.
The same is recommended when it comes to apps– restrict mobile app permissions and make sure your location is not being shared with the apps you have installed.
Find information on managing your privacy settings on each popular website/app here.
BONUS TIP: Ensure that you have a dedicated email account and passwords for accessing your online banking account(s), separate from the email address you use for signing up to accounts such as social media, online shopping and other accounts.
4. Measure twice, cut once.
It’s common due to the nature of social media usage to not think twice before posting information online– and what repercussions it might have. But one can never be too careful: consider stripping metadata, like location data, from photos before posting them online.
Although you might not think twice about posting a picture of the nice meal you had at the fancy new restaurant in town, if someone is actively trying to find out your location, you just gave them that information. Always be vigilant about what you are posting, who you interact with and who may be able to view your posts (via your privacy settings).
A handy website for managing your privacy settings is StaySafeOnline.
5. Browsing history and what data is collected
As you surf the internet, your browser collects a lot of information that it stores for future use. While it is time-saving not having to log in every time you visit a website that does not mean it is in your best interest.
Clearing your browsing data and cache can be helpful to avoid websites tracking you.
Consider using disposable accounts when websites require your email for a temporary purpose - such as when making online purchases. You may opt for a ‘burner’ account and remove it once your order has been received.
6. Use Anti Tracking Tools
Anti Tracking Tools are a great way to mask your internet browsing.
One good, free solution is Privacy Badger, or something as simple as Incognito mode.
It must be said that by using tools like that your browser will never remember who you are, so you might end up having to log in every time you visit a website.
Here are links to enable Two Factor Authentication and Password management. They will make the process safer and easier if done right.
7. VPN services
A good way to protect your online privacy is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service.
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your data to travel from your computer, to the VPN provider and finally to the website you were trying to reach. This means that all of the data is coming from the VPN provider and not your own device. That tunnel prevents third parties knowing what websites you browse.
Although a good solution a VPN might also become a single point of failure in your privacy setup so it is advisable to research the provider before using their services.
8. Level up your mobile defences
Your mobile device is an easy way to control your privacy. Ensure you restrict access to your location sharing and restrict app permissions as much as possible. You can achieve this by turning off your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when it is not in use, these settings track your location.
Additional types of Digital Footprints to consider
Voter registration which can include your birthday, address and political party
Vehicle registration
Homeownership and home renovation work can be public via government records
Marriage license
Birth announcements and obituaries
Online fundraisers
Signed petitions
The internet can be a scary place and we at The Cyber Helpline strive to not only educate and help users mitigate the risk of cybercrime but also enable people to contain and recover from cyber-attacks.
Understanding your digital footprint and knowing how to manage it is a critical first step in gaining control of your online identity.
Need Help?
Chat to our chatbot on our ‘Get Help’ page. Our chatbot will ask you some questions and get you to summarise your issue. Once the chatbot has enough information, it will match your issue to a known type of cyberattack. If you need more help the chatbot will give you the option of speaking to one of our volunteers.
Further Resources from The Cyber Helpline
Guide: Dealing with a phishing attack
Author: Sergiu Bujor
Originally published July, 2020, Updated: February 27th, 2024