Did you know that right now, you’re leaving footprints everywhere? No, not from your shoes – but rather from your online activity. Even now, the screen you’re viewing is in some way leaving a little trail behind, documenting a little bit about who you are.
This ‘digital footprint’ is something that cybercriminals are using to defraud their victims. It can also cost you gravely if an employer finds something unsavory online about you, even if it’s untrue. In this article, you’ll learn what a digital footprint is and, most importantly, how to leave a positive one online.
What is a digital footprint? And how do you protect it?
Your digital footprint is essentially everything about you on the internet. This includes your social media profile and comments made by you and about you, as well as traceable things about your online activity, the websites you visit, the products you buy, accounts you create on websites and your location.
There are two types of digital footprint you can leave behind:
- Active digital footprints are when you intentionally leave data behind, such as creating and uploading content and entering your email address into a site.
- Passive digital footprints are when information such as online purchases, searches, and actions are recorded, usually without consent.
While leaving a digital footprint is unavoidable, there are ways to limit the amount of information available about you online, as well as use it to your advantage. Tips to protect your footprint include:
1. Review your privacy settings
The first and easiest way of reducing and protecting your digital footprint is by thinking about the content you post and managing your privacy settings on social media sites.
You should always think about what you post, how it can be perceived, and who has access to it. You should also refrain from oversharing online, as you might unknowingly give personal information hackers can use in phishing attacks.
Avoid linking services and apps to your personal social media accounts, and prevent people from being able to auto-tag you in posts and photographs without your consent.
Finally, you should learn to identify and report fake profiles, especially if someone claims to be you. This will help mitigate any damage impersonators are trying to inflict on you or your brand.
2. Use threat protection features
Threat prevention is identifying and protecting yourself against new and emerging threats online. It’s a proactive way of safeguarding your digital footprint from abuse.
One of the best tools to use is a VPN with a link scanner. This cybersecurity tool checks the safety of links when you click on them, thus reducing the chance of visiting or being redirected to malicious websites. Not only does this prevent your information from being scraped, but it can also prevent malware from infecting your device.
3. Set strong passwords to protect accounts
Passwords are the backbone of our cybersecurity and can help protect your digital footprint. A strong password will prevent you from being hacked, thus preventing any criminal from posting on your accounts.
Making a strong password is very simple to do. The longer it is the better – aim for at least 12 characters for the best protection. You should also use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, as this adds complexity to any password.
You should never use personal information in your passwords, as hackers will use this to try and crack your accounts. Moreover, never use the same password for multiple accounts, as if one becomes hacked, your entire online profile may be vulnerable.
4. Create more positive content
Although people might think a digital footprint is a weakness, many experts believe it’s not something to be afraid of and that you can use it to your advantage. This is because if someone searches for you, like a future employer, they could see positive content and be impressed by your confidence, generosity, or skill set.
Start creating positive content on social media, a personal blog, or a company website. Don’t be afraid to share this content, as the more eyes that see it, the better image (and footprint) you’re leaving behind.