Digital footprint

What is a digital footprint in simple words

A digital footprint is all the information and all the traces you leave behind on the internet. It is a kind of "dossier" of your activity, consisting of your actions, browser history, likes, purchases and even the technical data of your device.

It is formed in two main ways: an active footprint — what you do deliberately (posts on social networks, published photos, comments, reviews, filled-in questionnaires or sent emails); a passive footprint — what is collected automatically, often without your direct participation (search history, cookies, your IP address, geolocation data and time spent on the site).

According to research companies, the average internet user leaves a digital footprint of more than 2.5 TB of data per year. This includes visit history, purchases, geolocation, messages and many other parameters that companies use to create your digital profile.

The digital footprint can be used both for good (personalization of services, convenient recommendations) and for harm (fraud, manipulation, surveillance). About how to protect your data on the internet, read the article Cloud security.

Types of digital footprint

1. Active digital footprint

Data that a person consciously and deliberately leaves on the network:

• Publications and content: photos, articles, comments and posts placed in open access.
• Personal data: filled-in questionnaires, phone numbers, email addresses and passport data on websites.
• Communication: correspondence in messengers and forums.
• Registrations: newsletter subscriptions or creating accounts on various platforms.

2. Passive digital footprint

Information that is collected about the user in the background, often without his direct knowledge:

• Search query history: any topics the user searched for in search engines.
• Device information: IP address, device type and model, operating system, battery charge level.
• Cookies and geolocation: website visit history, clicks on links, time spent on the page, and physical location.
• Metadata: data about when and from which device a photo was taken or an email was sent.

3. Derived (correlated) digital footprint

Data computed on the basis of already collected information or generated by algorithms:

• Behavioral habits: algorithms determine the daily routine, typing speed, typical travel routes.
• Psychological portrait: analysis of interests based on likes, film ratings, music playlists and purchases.
• Consumer preferences: used for targeted advertising and personalized offers.

Why it is important to control your digital footprint

1. Security and fraud

Open data (addresses, phones, photos) is actively used by fraudsters for phishing and social engineering. Attackers can use your digital footprint to steal identity, take out loans or hack accounts. About how fraudsters use personal data, read the article Fraud.

2. Reputational risks

HR specialists and security services often analyze the social networks of candidates when hiring. Unsuccessful or compromising publications can close the path to employment or spoil a professional reputation.

3. Digital surveillance

By search query history, geolocations and likes, third parties can compile your detailed daily routine, learn about your circle of communication, interests and health condition.

4. Manipulation and the "filter bubble"

Analysis of your digital footprint allows algorithms to form a "filter bubble" — to adjust the news feed and advertising so as to manage your opinion, purchases or level of emotional anxiety.

About how to protect data in a corporate environment, read the article DLP systems.

How to check your digital footprint

1. Search in open sources

• Search by name: Enter your first and last name in quotation marks in Google and Yandex. Add clarifying words: city, place of work, university.
• Search by photos: Upload your photo to photo search services (Google Images, Yandex Images) to find social networks or websites where your images were used.
• Search by nicknames and email: Use tools like NameChk to check the registration of accounts on your usual nicknames.

2. Checking data leaks

• Have I Been Pwned: Enter your email to find out whether your passwords have appeared in leaked databases.
• Google check: Go to the "Results about you" page in Google to find out exactly what personal contact data the search engine gives out.

3. Browser analysis

Visit the Cover Your Tracks website from the human rights organization EFF — it will analyze which trackers and advertising networks follow your movements on the internet.

How to minimize and protect your digital footprint

1. Browser settings

• Use "Incognito" mode for private sessions.
• Install ad blockers.
• Regularly clear cookies and browser cache.
• About how incognito mode works, read the article Incognito mode.

2. Permission control

• Deny applications (especially social networks and games) access to geolocation, microphone and contacts if this is not required for their operation.
• Regularly check which applications have access to your data, and revoke permissions for unused ones.

3. Privacy settings in social networks

• Restrict the visibility of publications to outsiders (only "friends" or "only me").
• Do not publish personal data in open access: address, phone, passport data.
• Delete old accounts that you no longer use.

4. Using two-factor authentication

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all important accounts — this will protect you from hacking even in the event of a password leak. About how 2FA works, read the article Verification.

The right to be forgotten

In Russia, the law on the "right to be forgotten" (Federal Law No. 264-FZ) is in force, which allows citizens to demand the removal of unreliable or irrelevant information about themselves from search engines. To do this, it is necessary to submit an application to the search engine (Yandex, Google, Mail.ru) indicating links to the pages you want to hide from the results.

Important: the law does not allow you to completely delete information about yourself, but only to hide it from search. The page itself remains on the internet, but it can no longer be found through search.