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Examples of Active Digital Footprints:
 Posting on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook or X.

 Sending emails or messages through online platforms.
 Filling out online forms, such as job applications or surveys.
 Leaving comments on blogs, forums or websites.

 Uploading photos, videos or other content.
 Subscribing to newsletters or signing up for accounts.

Passive Digital Footprints
These are the data collected without you directly inputting it, often without your knowledge or
active participation. This includes information about the websites you visit, the apps you use and
your browsing habits. Companies and websites track this information for advertising, analytics
and other purposes.

Examples of Passive Digital Footprints:

 Websites storing cookies to remember your preferences.
 Your search history on Google or other search engines.

 Data collected by apps and services you use, even if you don’t share anything explicitly.
 Apps and websites that use location data to track where you are.

 Social media platforms and companies that use your likes, shares and comments to deliver
targeted ads based on your interests.
 Sometimes, you talk about something and your phone shows ads related to it, making it feel
like your phone is listening. This usually happens because apps track your online activity and
interests to personalise ads.

Steps to Protect Your Digital Footprints
Some methods to protect your digital footprint are:

 Be mindful of what you share online.

 Regularly review the privacy settings of your social media accounts.
 Think before posting personal information that could stay online forever.

 Before posting anything online, consider whether it's something you'd be comfortable with
everyone seeing.
 Avoid sharing personal details like your full name, home address, phone number or school
with strangers online.

 Use privacy settings on social media to control who can view your posts.
 Keep in mind that anything shared online can be permanent. Think twice before posting
content that might harm your reputation.

 Never share photos, messages or personal information about others without their consent.

 Focus on sharing positive, helpful or creative content to build a positive digital footprint.

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