What is the digital footprint

Digital footprint: what it is

The digital footprint can be defined as the trail of data left on the Internet with every use we make of it.

A footprint that allows others to obtain information about a person based on what we have left on the web, something that can happen for various reasons, such as registering on a website, creating a profile on a social network or the publications we may make on it.

The also known as digital shadow or electronic footprint is not always obvious. Let's see what type of digital footprint exists.

Types of digital footprint on the Internet

Depending on how this data is generated as a fingerprint and the control we have over it, there are two types of fingerprint: passive and active.

Passive fingerprint

The passive fingerprint is the information that is collected about us and the devices we use while we are browsing, without us necessarily being aware of it.

Examples of passive fingerprints are browsing history, location or IP address, which are generally collected to improve the user experience, optimise performance or conduct market analysis.

Active fingerprint

In contrast to the passive fingerprint, the active fingerprint is the information that we consciously share when using the Internet, applications or online services.

Data left in forms, social networks or forums, as well as the activity generated (comments, photos, videos) uploaded to social networks are some examples.

This is a type of digital footprint that is intentional and where the user can have some control over the data they are providing, in the same way that one is aware of what content they are posting on social networks.

Signing up for a newsletter, following a page, liking a post or specific interactions are also part of the active footprint.

Is it possible to delete my fingerprint?

Can my fingerprint be deleted? This is a question that many people have asked themselves at some point in their lives.

The answer is that it is virtually impossible to do so completely.

However, some actions can be taken to minimise or diminish the presence, such as deactivating or deleting social media profiles, subscriptions, web services or shopping accounts.

Similarly, cookies can be deleted from the browser to prevent further data collection.

Digital footprint and possible risks

Our colleagues at Telefónica Tech explain in their blog a series of potential risks associated with the digital footprint (in Spanish).

The fact is that, whether through active or passive fingerprinting, the more information we have about ourselves, the greater the capacity for profiling, so the more sophisticated the possible frauds we may face will be.

With this data, we may be more susceptible to identity theft, data leaks or fraud.

In extreme cases, we may even face physical risks in the event that data such as home addresses can surface.

Hypothetical impersonations can also be used by cybercriminals to seek to receive money transfers with which to contract false services such as insurance or credit.

On the other hand, we may also face reputational or image risks if someone impersonates us on social networks and starts posting content that is far removed from our tastes, preferences or even political opinions. Although it is true that this has sometimes been used as an excuse when someone wants to make amends for an inappropriate publication. In other words, the digital version of the excuse that the dog has eaten his homework.

Importance of the digital footprint

In addition to these potential risks linked to the digital footprint, other considerations related to this issue should be taken into account.

For example, it is not unreasonable to think that depending on what content we may have posted on social networks may be counterproductive in terms of possible job searches. Paradoxical are the examples of football players whose recruitment by a new club has been aborted after it became known that they had made insults on social media against their new team.

In this day and age, offline and digital reputations go almost hand in hand, so it is just as important to look after one as the other.

It should also be taken into consideration that something that is intended to be seen in a small group may end up being seen in a wider circle as there is no certainty that it will remain in the original space to which it was sent.

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