Digital footprint is a definition used for the track information that organizations or individuals leave behind when they interact online. Users’ social media content, various online payment transactions, location history, e-mails sent, messages sent via instant messaging platforms are just some of the data that make up their digital footprints.

Every user can be targeted on the Internet

Depending on how you approach your privacy online and what your social media habits are, this data can be collected and used to create a comprehensive profile of you. The data can be used by threat actors for all kinds of malicious purposes or sold in markets in the dark web. What’s more, if you tend to over-share, this information can be abused by online cyber perverts, cyberbullies or scammers. ESET experts highlighted the importance of safe internet use by making recommendations on how to reduce digital footprints.

Control your social media accounts and privacy settings

First, consider the privacy settings of your social media accounts in detail. Limit who can view your accounts and how much of your information can be seen. Check all your past and present posts; Don’t let anyone you don’t know look at your vacation photos from 10 years ago. In addition to helping reduce your digital footprint, this process can also help prevent legacy posts from going after you in the future.

Once you’ve checked your shares and locked your profile using the security and privacy settings, it’s time to edit your friends list. Start with strangers that you don’t even remember adding to the work, and then move on to those you don’t quite know or don’t talk to anymore.

Check other accounts you have and clear them too

Many people have dozens and maybe hundreds of different online accounts. You’ve signed up for many shopping sites, sports trackers, cooking apps, or games that you’ve probably used once or twice. Each one stores various information such as your name, date of birth, body measurements and phone numbers. To make things easier, we often use single sign-on (SSO) options on our social media accounts or email addresses. Whether you’re using Google, Facebook, or the Sign in with Apple feature, they all give you the option to browse which third-party apps have account access. You can use this list to delete accounts that you no longer use or are worth keeping.

Streamline your newsletter subscriptions

Another way to reduce your digital footprint is to cancel your subscription to the various newsletters you are currently receiving. Many subscriptions act together to create accounts for various services and online marketplaces, and they bombard you with e-mails with product-related discounts and subscriptions for the app. This means additional data that companies have about you that could fall into the wrong hands.

Don’t allow social engineering

Keep in mind that malicious people who can investigate you may be right behind the screen. Do not share your personal data everywhere. Remember that information can be brought together piece by piece from different platforms to form a meaningful whole.