Digital Footprint: A New Threat to Your Identity

While walking on a road, we leave our footprints or trails behind on that path. If lost, those trails can be used to detect the location of the missing person. In a similar manner, digital footprints are the trails of data that are left behind by us while using the internet. This includes the various websites visited, emails sent and the information given to the online services.

The Two Kinds of Digital Footprint: Active and Passive

The various data and information that you submit intentionally on the internet are considered to be the active digital footprint. An email sent by you adds on to your active digital footprint as the data sent by you is expected to be seen and then saved by another person. More the sent email, the more is your digital footprint. As these mails are sent online, the data and information remain on the web for years and can be accessed by anyone. 

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A passive footprint is one that leaves behind the trails unintentionally. Whenever you visit a website, the web server identifies and stores your IP address and your location too. Also, at times, the saved history is saved by some search engines which may be used for illegal purposes by the anti-socials. These all form a part of the passive footprint.

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The Pros and Cons of The Digital Footprint

Pros:

1. The occurrence of any fraudulent activities can be tracked down easily using this.
2. It can help the recruiter to find and recruit the candidates with the utmost potential.
3. If you need to retrieve any information for future use, it can become easier as the information gets stored in the search engines as well as in the servers.
4. Based on the search history, various companies can approach you with the product you are in need of and sell them to you.
5. It helps in personalisation.

Cons:

1. Data theft and identity theft are the two worst consequences of this feature.
2. It is permanent, cannot be deleted and hence stays on the internet for a long time.
3. Privacy of a user gets lost.
4. It results in unwanted solicitations.

5 Ways to Manage Your Digital Footprint

Managing your online footprint is not that much of a tough task. Keep a track of the below-mentioned norms and thus you will get to know your digital status.

• Google yourself: Every two or three months, you can search your name on Google and see yourself whatever is visible on the internet about you. Do it on a regular basis so that you are cognizant about the data others have access to about you.
• Google alerts are to be set up: you can set up Google alerts on your name and this tool will notify you about alerts whenever your name gets involved in any post.
• Protection of personal data: Never disclose your bank details or personal details on any unverified or insecure web page. Also try using a nickname instead of your official name.
• Keep the login details private: Never share your mail ID or passwords with anyone for any site or online media.  
• Think twice before posting: Never post anything temporary on the internet, which is a permanent platform. Do not be emotional and in a fit of anger, do not post anything that might get you in trouble even in the late future.

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