What is a digital footprint The information about

What is a digital footprint? • The information about a particular person that exists on the Internet as a result of their online activity. • Your digital footprint paints a picture of who you are – it is your very own online portrait • Comments on social media, Skype calls, app use and email records- it's part of your online history and can potentially be seen by other people, or tracked in a database.

How do you leave digital footprints? Cookies on Websites and Online websites Shopping Through search words Social Media Forms or surveys you fill in Logging into sites Comments Mobile Phones, Tablets, or Laptops. GPS on your phone Browsers

Cookies – how do they work? • When you visit a site that uses cookies for the first time, a cookie is downloaded onto your PC. • The next time you visit that site, your PC checks to see if it has a cookie that is relevant (that is, one containing the site name) and sends the information contained in that cookie back to the site. • The site then ’knows’ that you have been there before, and in some cases, tailors what pops up on screen to take account of that fact. • For instance, it can be helpful to vary content according to whether this is your first ever visit to a site – or your 71 st.

Cookies – how they work • Some cookies might record how long you spend on each page on a site, what links you click, even your preferences for page layouts and colour schemes. • They can also be used to store data on what is in your ‘shopping cart’, adding items as you click.

What types of information do you think can be tracked online? • the websites you visit • • what time of day the search and key words you use your location while browsing your IP address (unique online identity) what you said who you interact with what you search for what is said about you • what you say in your email, texts, social media post • what you “like” or “share” on social media and online • how much money you spend • how old you are • where you live • if you were mentioned or quoted in a news story or blog post.

So why is your digital footprint important? For your reputation – potentially visible to large audiences Companies can target content at specific markets & consumers Employers can look into your background Advertisers can track your movements across multiple websites It can reflect who you are offline

Digital footprints What would you like your digital footprint to look like in 10 -15 years? What will people see when they google your name?

Your digital footprint • Using the footprint outlines complete your own digital footprint to work out where you are currently posting content and what can be found out about you. • You can try googling your name to see what comes up!

Your digital footprint Where I post & share Photos: Videos: Likes, votes, shares etc Comments & messages: Other content: : Where things are posted & shared about me Photos: Videos: Likes, votes, shares etc Comments & messages: Other content: :

Think about all the ways in which you can you manage your digital footprint. • Before you post, think about what information to share, where to share it, and how to share it (i. e. , what platform, what medium, what format, what tone? ) • Consider using avatars and non-indentifiable usernames to protect your identity (though it’s important to consider and evaluate when it is appropriate to be transparent and public) • Use strong passwords and vary them on different sites. Change your passwords often • Password-protect mobile phones, tablets and computers • Read the fine print (privacy policies, terms) before clicking “agree” • Regularly check the privacy settings of your online accounts (social media sites like Facebook and Instagram change their privacy settings frequently)

Think about all the ways in which you can you manage your digital footprint. • Be aware of photographs being taken of you and photos of you that someone else “tags” • Don’t share passwords (except with parents) • Consider who you share your contact information with • Conduct transactions only over a secure wi-fi connection that requires a password • Respect other’s privacy, property, space • Be nice to people online and offline • Use security/virus protection software • Back up your data • Remember that not everything you see, read, or hear about online is true. People and websites may pretend to be something they are not.

Remember that content posted online can harm you in the future • Content posted online can live forever and that content is still accessible from the site’s servers after it is deleted by the user • You should always think about what you post before you post it and consider who in the future might be able to see or access it

SUMMARY