Page 14 - Cyber Safety C-7

For example, Aarav tracks his daily exercise using a fitness app, records his meals and checks his
sleep patterns through a health tracker. He also orders supplements online to improve his health.
His health footprint reflects his fitness, diet, rest and use of health-related products.

1 in 4 people track their health data using a smartphone app or wearable device.

THE IMPACT OF A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

You have probably understood that digital footprints can affects important aspects of your life.
So, digital footprints are important because:

1 They last a long time:
Once you post something online, you cannot
They affect your reputation: 2 fully control how others use it. Even if you
Just like in real life, your online delete it, copies may still exist.
actions build your reputation. One 3 Schools and jobs may check them:
rude post can spoil your image. Colleges and employees sometimes check
Things can be misused: 4 social media to know more about you.
Photos or comments can be taken out
of context, making you look bad. 5 Cybercriminals use them:
Hackers may steal your information to create
Deleted does not always mean gone: 6 fake profiles or trick you with phishing emails.
Many platforms keep archives, so old
data may still be available.

KEEPING YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT SAFE

Now that you understand the importance of a digital footprint, let’s explore simple ways to protect
it. It’s easy to keep your digital footprint safe by following these basic rules:

Avoid Oversharing
6 Refrain from sharing personal details online.

Use VPNs
5 Employ VPNs or secure browsers to reduce tracking.
Remove Extensions
4 Eliminate unused browser extensions to reduce tracking.
Clear Browsing Data
3 Regularly clear cookies, cache and browsing history.
Adjust Privacy Settings
2 Limit who can see your posts and personal info on social media.

Enable MFA
1 Implement multi-factor authentication for added security.

12 Computer Science - VII