What Is a Digital Footprint
A digital footprint is all the information that a user leaves about themselves online, either intentionally or unintentionally. This includes an email address, social media posts, browser search history, and data that is collected automatically. Each connection to the Internet. From a computer, mobile device, and even a fitness tracker creates a portrait of the device owner based on their actions and publications. For instance, platforms like IviBet, an online bookmaker, ensure that users’ digital footprints are protected by implementing strong security measures.
Examples of a Digital Footprint
Let’s figure out what types of digital footprints there are.
Active digital footprints are data that a user consciously leaves online. For example, publications on social networks: posts, likes, photos and videos, comments on forums, completed forms, emails, and messages. This also includes online purchases, reviews, and comments about products, services, and places.
Passive digital footprints are information that is collected without the active participation of the user. For example, location data, web browsing history, IP address, device data when connected to the Internet, metadata for photos and videos, cookies and log files that track user actions.
Passive digital traces also include data transmitted by smartphones, smart devices, and fitness apps. For example, GPS data, information about physical training, distance traveled, and calories burned, which can be transmitted to cloud services.
Why Is a Digital Trace Important
A digital trace can influence a person. For example, websites and apps use information about their users’ activity to improve the quality of the service and customize recommendations. This helps improve the user experience, simplify their lives, and increase security.
Personalization of services. With the help of collected data about users on the Internet, companies can offer personalized services. They can improve their recommendation services. For example, streaming platforms guess the content that the user might like, and online shopping becomes much faster and more convenient. By analyzing the preferences and behavior of customers, companies develop their products and services.
Simplifying the search for information. The history of searches and visits to web pages helps Internet services offer more relevant results, as well as save previously found information. This speeds up access to important data and makes it easier to perform repeated tasks.
Improving user security. A digital footprint can be used to protect accounts and prevent fraud. For example, a timely detected user anomaly – a suspicious attempt to log into an account (password guessing, logging into an account from a new device from a new country or city) – will notify the user of potential security threats.
As users engage in betting on IviBet, from account creation to placing bets, their data is safeguarded, offering peace of mind while enjoying the platform.
But it is also important to be aware of the negative aspects and security threats that a digital footprint can bring.
Privacy and security. A digital footprint contains data that can reveal the user’s personal information. Full name, logins and passwords, location, search history, statements and even financial information. This information can be used by intruders. For example, in targeted phishing attacks, when hacking accounts, stealing money and personal data, stalking.
Reputation. A digital footprint forms a user’s online reputation. It can affect a career, study or social life. For example, negative or explicit posts on social networks can influence the opinion of employers or lead to cyberbullying.
Personalization and targeting. Companies use digital footprints to personalize advertising and services. But sometimes they can use quite aggressive techniques that lead to an overly intrusive manifestation of the company’s presence, bordering on interference in personal life and violation of privacy.
Problems with control and management of public information. Once information has entered the network, it becomes difficult to control its distribution. Even if an unfortunate comment, photo or video is deleted from one resource, this does not guarantee that they will disappear forever.
There is such a true saying: the Internet remembers everything. Therefore, the general recommendation for users is to be conscious of what and how is published about them in open sources.
When a Digital Footprint Appears
A user’s digital footprint appears every time they log into the Internet and mobile applications, use various digital gadgets connected to the network. The browsing history is formed throughout the entire use of online services and digital technologies.
Creating accounts and registering on websites. When registering on platforms (social networks, forums, online stores), an active digital footprint is created – this is the personal data entered, such as full name, email and date of birth.
Visiting websites. Every time a user visits a website, the site’s servers collect data about their actions. Often such information as IP address, browser used, operating system, time of visit and pages that were viewed.
Search queries. Any queries entered into search engines are saved and can be used to improve search results, personalization and contextual advertising.
Using social networks. Any content that a person publishes on social networks: posts, comments, photos, videos, likes, form a digital portrait of the user. In addition, actions such as adding friends, joining groups, viewing certain content are also recorded in the systems.
Online shopping. When placing orders and even viewing products, the user’s history is collected: completed or postponed purchases, preferences, delivery address and payment methods. All this forms the buyer and is used to analyze his behavior.
Using mobile applications and online games. Many mobile applications collect data about users, including location, contacts, actions within the application and even physical activity data.
Using cloud services. By uploading files to cloud storage or working with online documents, users leave traces of their activity, which are stored in the systems of cloud providers.
Digital devices and gadgets. Fitness trackers, smart watches, cars with GPS or smart home systems collect data on the actions and habits of users.
But the awareness of how much information is stored about a person on the Internet should not instill panic and anxiety. Yes, a digital footprint can pose risks of compromise, but if the user understands how it works, what it gives them, and how to manage the information, then most likely there will be no problems.
How to Find Your Digital Footprint
Analyzing your digital footprint can help you understand what data is already available about you online and take steps to improve your personal privacy and security. There are several methods and tools you can use to find and understand your digital footprint. Here are some steps to help you identify your digital footprint.
Search for information about yourself in search engines. Start with a simple search for your name in popular browsers. Include options using your full name, nicknames, or other data that might appear online (e.g. previous jobs, places of study).
Look at images and videos associated with your name, as well as the “News” and “Social Networks” sections. Check what search engines return for your phone number or email to find out what information is associated with these contact details. This will help you understand what is publicly available and determine what information can be hidden or deleted.
Check your social media accounts. See what profiles, posts, photos, videos, and comments are publicly viewable on social networks, and search for your name on social networks to find mentions in which you were tagged.
Search for old and forgotten accounts. Think about old Internet services, forums, and sites where you may have had accounts. For example, email accounts, blogs, forum accounts, online stores, or gaming platforms that you once had.
Review your email history to remember which sites you registered on. This will help you find accounts on old or forgotten resources, and unsubscribe from unnecessary mailings.
Cookie and tracker settings. Use special services to see which trackers collect digital trace data about you when you visit websites. Check your browser privacy settings to limit the amount of information about you.
Mobile app activity. Check the apps on your smartphone: what data they collect and transmit. For example, location, contacts, access to media.