digital footprint

Quick Byte: Digital Footprint

In order to help share information I thought it might be interesting to shake things up with some quick information that you can use immediately! Today- is the digital footprint. Follow along with the steps and learn first hand what a digital footprint is, and how it works.

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Open your computer internet browser and choose a search engine. Any search engine will most likely do.Let’s start with these first three steps:

  1. Type your first and last name in the search box, and maybe the town you live in if you think that your name is considered to be “common” ie: John Smith.
  2. Read the first page of results from the search engine.
    1. Are you surprised by what you see?
    2. Is there anything that would make you vulnerable to online predators?

The information that you are seeing is called a digital footprint. A digital footprint is the data that an internet user has left behind. The information can range from social media, to content submitted online, or cookies that your computer has saved from your web searched. This information can be found through search engines online. Simply by typing your name any person can look up information about you (or someone who shares your name).

What can you do to protect yourself from your digital footprint…

  • Do not give or post personal information such as full birthday, address, phone number, or ID number.
  • Be aware of what you post. Information can be found and used against you later.
  • Ensure that your social media only allows your friends to see your profile.
  • Do not post things to bully, humiliate, or intimidate others.
  • Once posted, things can almost never be fully removed.
  • Think before you post!

Why does my digital footprint matter?

  • People can judge you by the content you post online.
  • Employers will often search for you online to learn more about you.

Digital footprints can be a positive tool for professionals marketing themselves or their business. Digital footprint is not a negative term, but a descriptive term.

Think of one thing you are going to do to downsize your digital footprint.

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