Cybersecurity expert, Donovan Pillay, recently discussed the often-overlooked issue of digital footprints and their impact on online privacy. Drawing on his extensive experience, Don shared valuable insights into how we unknowingly leave traces of our online activities, offering practical advice for managing our digital presence.

Don likens a digital footprint to a physical one—both leave behind evidence of where we’ve been and what we’ve done. He emphasised the importance of understanding these footprints, as they can reveal a lot about us to anyone who’s looking.

Active vs. Passive Digital Footprints

Don explained that digital footprints come in two forms:

  • Active Footprints: These are the intentional traces we leave when we deliberately post or share information online, such as social media updates.
  • Passive Footprints: These are unintentional traces, like when websites track our browsing history or gather data without our knowledge.

Accidental Expansion of Digital Footprints

Pillay pointed out two common ways we unintentionally expand our digital footprint:

  • Oversharing on social media, particularly sensitive information like home addresses or details about our children’s schools.
  • Location tagging on smartphones, which can reveal exact places and times when we share photos.

Monitoring and Managing Your Digital Footprint

To stay on top of your online presence, Pillay suggests:

  • Regularly searching for yourself online and reviewing what’s out there.
  • Cleaning up old social media profiles by deleting outdated or potentially problematic content.
  • Checking online white pages and requesting the removal of any personal information if needed.

Social Media’s Role in Digital Footprints

Pillay warned that social media platforms are designed to encourage sharing, often at the expense of privacy. He encouraged users to think critically about the information they post and consider the potential consequences.

Practical Steps to Reduce Your Digital Footprint

Pillay recommends several steps to help manage and reduce your digital footprint:

  • Evaluate your social media presence and engagement.
  • Avoid teaching AI models to recognise faces by refraining from tagging people in uploaded photos.
  • Use tools that assist in deleting personal data from online platforms.
  • Employ VPNs to safeguard your IP address and location.
  • Utilise a password manager to create stronger, more secure passwords.

Impact on Privacy and Security

Pillay emphasised the importance of avoiding unnecessary information sharing, as this could be used against you. He reminded us that while businesses focus on protecting their networks, individuals are responsible for managing their own digital footprints.

Starting Fresh

For those wanting to minimise their digital footprint, Pillay suggests:

  • Limit the sharing of personal information online.
  • Create closed groups for more private sharing.
  • Review and delete old posts that no longer reflect your current views.
  • Make copies of important photos stored on online platforms.

Don reminded us that everything we do online leaves a trace. His key piece of advice: always think before you click and prioritise protecting your privacy in the digital world.