What is Digital Footprint?

The companies behind many of the websites and services you use every day are collecting data about what you do, what you read, where you click.

So, what exactly is a Digital Footprint and what can you do to minimize it?

What is Digital Footprint?

Digital Footprint is everything you do on the Internet – where you go, what you click on, who you talk to, and what you buy. Even things you don't do can be part of your online footprint. Digital Footprints can be divided into two categories:

1. Active Digital Footprint : This is the data you intentionally share online, such as posting photos on Instagram, writing blog posts, or leaving comments on forums. It also includes information you provide when signing up for various online accounts, such as your name, email, interests, etc.
2. Passive Digital Footprint : This is information that is collected about you without you realizing it, such as your IP address, device information, location, and browsing habits. Websites also use cookies to see what pages you view and how you interact with the content of each page.

How can your Digital Footprint be used?

Your Digital Footprint can be used in a number of ways, for good or bad.

1. Personalized marketing and ad targeting

Companies are always paying attention to what you do online to learn more about you. They build these detailed profiles that can predict what you like and what you might buy in the future.

It's not just basic ad targeting – they use advanced algorithms to analyze everything from the sites you browse to the people you chat with on social media, and even how much time you spend on certain sites. With all this information, advertisers can then target you more precisely.

For example, if working out is a big part of your online life, you might see ads for workout clothes, supplements, or workout apps almost everywhere you go online.

2. Prevent fraud and account hijacking

What is Digital Footprint? Picture 1

When it comes to keeping your online accounts safe, cybersecurity companies pay attention to the little details that can make a big difference — just from your digital footprint. They look at things like where and how we log into our profiles. If someone tries to access your account from an unknown device or location, they may prompt you to verify further.

Financial institutions also monitor your digital footprint for suspicious activity. For example, if your credit card suddenly starts being used in a remote location or for purchases that are much larger than usual, the system can flag this as unusual behavior and block the transaction before any real damage is done.

3. Credit scores and financial services

Your online presence can affect things like your credit score and your loan applications these days. Some financial institutions can look at your social media profiles, online shopping habits, etc. to see how trustworthy you are as a potential customer.

For example, a German startup called Kreditech looks at more than 20,000 different data points taken from people's online lives. This includes things posted on social media, browsing history, and online shopping behavior. By looking closely at those clues when reviewing loan applications, they can determine whether someone seems like a safe person to lend to.

4. Employment and recruitment

Recruiters don't just look at your resume; they also examine your online presence to get a better understanding of you as a candidate. Things like your social media accounts, blog posts, comments you've made, and any other public digital footprint can give recruiters insight into your personality, values, and professionalism.

5. Law enforcement and security

Law enforcement agencies can use digital traces such as browsing history, social media posts, emails, text messages, and phone location data to solve cases and track criminal activity. All of these details that we share without thinking can become evidence for or against us when we are involved in a legal matter.

6. Social and political influence

Everything we do and engage with in the digital world can help certain messages and campaigns gain more traction and momentum. For example, with a few tweets, retweets, or likes about a political issue or social cause, others can understand what matters to you.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 27 September 2024