Digital Footprint
Every time you do anything online, whether it’s visiting a website, making an online purchase, having a conversation on an online game, using a search engine or posting on social media, leaves a digital trail or ‘footprint’. This footprint creates a permanent record and is potentially visible to anyone. Anything you do online can be copied, shared or saved by others, meaning that an embarrassing picture of you that your friend shared on social media could be spread far and wide and not easily deleted. And parts of your digital footprint – those details you share when signing up for free apps and services – can be used for commercial purposes by others.