Page 12 - Cyber Safety C-7

Searches made on Google, Bing or Yahoo, which can show interests, preferences or
information-seeking behaviour.

Websites visited, which can show interests and hobbies.

Sent and received emails that can disclose personal and
professional relationships and interests.
Details of online shopping activities, such as products

bought, payment methods used and delivery addresses.
Unlike your digital identity, which you actively shape, your
digital footprint grows automatically with every online action. These traces form a lasting record
of your online presence and can be used by others to understand your behaviour or preferences.

Every single Internet user has a digital signature and ‘footprints’. So, there were 5.3 billion global
digital footprints.

AREAS OF DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

A digital footprint may be harder to control than your identity, as it is built over time through both

direct and passive online activities. Understanding how to manage it is important for maintaining
your digital safety. Not all digital footprints are the same and they can be generated from various
common areas. Let’s explore a few of these sources.

Social Network Footprint

The information left on social media platforms and networks is known as your social network
footprint. This includes the data you share and the actions you
take online. Some examples of social network footprints are:

Profile information: This includes personal details such as
your name, address and phone number.

Friends and connections: Lists of people you connect with,
such as friends or followers.

Group memberships: Joining and participating in online
communities or groups, such as interest-based forums or clubs.
Let’s understand this with the help of a real-life example. In 2018,
the Cambridge Analytica scandal showed how companies collected Facebook users’ likes and

browsing data to influence elections. Data was collected from millions of Facebook users without
consent and this data was used to deliver fake news and influence elections like the 2016 U.S. vote.

10 Computer Science - VII