Do you know what they say about a big digital footprint? A big vulnerability.
The bigger your online footprint is, the more of a trail you’re leading back to yourself. A digital is all the various clicks and movements you make online and the data you input. Depending on how many hours you spend online—the average person spends 6 hours and 38 minutes—your digital footprint could be massive.
Can you discover just how big yours is? Read on to find out.
What is a Digital Footprint?
What gives digital footprint meaning is all the information that makes up your online identity.
Every search you do, every purchase you make, or like you give adds up to make your digital footprint. An active footprint is what you purposely do. A passive footprint is left without your intention and includes data like your location, browsing history, habits, and even the photos you take.
Every time you accept cookie policies, download an app, or fill out a form, you are willingly providing your information. The data can be used by companies, advertisers, or even cybercriminals.
You can remove your personal information from Google, but understanding where it comes from prevents it from building up in the future.
Can You Find Out How Big It Is?
Yes, you can see what you are being tracked on.
Your footprint exists on various channels and is protected by privacy policies. In other words, the data is stored in places you no longer remember existing. However, there is a way to track it down.
Conduct a quick search of your name. What comes up? Any forgotten accounts, old posts, or sensitive details? That’s already part of your footprint. Now, go to Google and open the ‘My Activity’ page. Social media also provides some downloadable data as archives. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) all save more than you imagine.
To go a bit further, there are online services like ‘Have I Been Pwned’ that can verify if your email has been involved in any data breaches. There are even some cybersecurity tools that sell full footprint analysis. A digital footprint checker can go a long way.
How to Reduce/Remove a Digital Footprint
It’s not possible to erase everything, but you could limit access to your information.
Start by deleting everything you don’t use actively. Old social media accounts, abandoned blogs, expired memberships—everything still on the internet is part of your footprint.
Now, let’s move on to privacy settings. Turn off geo-tracking, limit data-sharing permissions, disable the auto-save function for passwords and payment details, and you could also lower tracking visibility.
The incognito mode only encrypts your browsing history nationally, not from your ISP or even the websites visited. A VPN can come in handy for true anonymity.
One final step that gets neglected is exploring specific sites for data removal. There are people out there who buy and sell personally identifiable information, so try to opt out where you can.
It’s easy to underestimate your digital footprint. Start by seeing if you can find out how big your digital footprint is and how to remove it!
With over a decade in the tech field, Bogdan blends technical expertise with insights on business innovation in technology.
A regular contributor to TMS Outsource's blog, where you'll find sharp analyses on software development, tech business strategies, and global tech dynamics.
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