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{{short description|One's unique set of traceable digital activities}} | |||
A '''digital footprint''' is the data that is left behind by users on digital services.<ref name="pew"></ref> | |||
{{about|a person's set of traceable digital activities|passively produced data during online activity|Data exhaust}} | |||
There are two main classifications for digital footprints: passive and active. A passive digital footprint is created when data is collected without the owner knowing, whereas active digital footprints are created when personal data is released deliberately by a user for the purpose of sharing information about oneself by means of websites or social media.<ref name="pew" /> | |||
{{how-to|date=November 2021}} | |||
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'''Digital footprint''' or '''digital shadow''' refers to one's unique set of ] digital activities, actions, contributions, and communications manifested on the ] or ]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dictionary.com: digital footprint|url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/digital-footprint|access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=What is Digital Footprint? Webopedia. Definition|url=http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/digital_footprint.html|website=www.webopedia.com|date=29 April 2008|access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Digital Footprint Definition|url=https://techterms.com/definition/digital_footprint|website=techterms.com|access-date=13 April 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=What is digital footprint? - Definition from WhatIs.com|url=http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/digital-footprint|website=WhatIs.com|access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref> Digital footprints can be classified as either passive or active. The former is composed of a user's web-browsing activity and information stored as ]s. The latter is often released deliberately by a user to share information on websites or ].<ref name=":2">{{cite web|last=Madden, Fox, Smith & Vitak|first=Mary, Susannah, Aaron, Jessica|date=2007|title=Digital Footprints|url=http://www.pewinternet.org/2007/12/16/digital-footprints/|website=Pew Research Center}}</ref> While the term usually applies to a person, a digital footprint can also refer to a business, organization or corporation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/01/digital-shadows-alastair-paterson|title=Monitoring digital footprints to prevent reputation damage and cyber attacks|last=COLLINS|first=KATIE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812132756/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/01/digital-shadows-alastair-paterson|archive-date=12 August 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=8 August 2013}}</ref> | |||
Passive digital footprints can be stored in many ways depending on the situation. In an online environment a footprint may be stored in an online data base as a "hit". This footprint may track the user ], when it was created, and where they came from; with the footprint later being analyzed. In an ] environment, a footprint may be stored in files, which can be accessed by ] to view the actions performed on the machine, without being able to see who performed them. | |||
The use of a digital footprint has both positive and negative consequences. On one side, it is the subject of many ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Owning Your Privacy by Managing Your Digital Footprint|url=https://staysafeonline.org/blog/owning-your-privacy-by-managing-your-digital-footprint/|access-date=2020-11-08|website=Stay Safe Online|date=23 January 2020 }}</ref> For example, without an individual's authorization, strangers can piece together information about that individual by only using ]s. Corporations are also able to produce customized ads based on browsing history. On the other hand, others can reap the benefits by profiting off their digital footprint as social media ]s. Furthermore, employers use a candidate's digital footprint for ] and assessing fit due to its reduced cost and accessibility.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} Between two equal candidates, a candidate with a positive digital footprint may have an advantage. As technology usage becomes more widespread, even children generate larger digital footprints with potential positive and negative consequences such as college admissions. Since it is hard not to have a digital footprint, it is in one's best interest to create a positive one. | |||
Active digital footprints can also be stored in many ways depending on the situation. In an online environment, a footprint can be stored by a user being logged into a site when making a post or edit, with the registered name being connected to the edit. In an off line environment a footprint may be stored in files, when the owner of the computer uses a ], so logs can show the actions performed on the machine, and who performed them. | |||
== Types of digital footprints == | |||
Tony Fish expounded upon the possible dangers of digital footprints in a 2007 self-published book.<ref></ref> The closed loop takes data from the open loop and provides this as a new data input. This new data determines what the user has reacted to, or how they have been influenced. The feedback then builds a digital footprint based on social data, and the controller of the social digital footprint data can determine how and why people purchase and behave. | |||
Passive digital footprints are a data trail that an individual involuntarily leaves online.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-12 |title=Digital footprint (ITSAP.00.133) |url=https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/digital-footprint-itsap00133 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Canadian Centre for Cyber Security |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-07 |title=What is a digital footprint? |url=https://www.ibm.com/topics/digital-footprint |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en-us}}</ref> They can be stored in various ways depending on the situation. A footprint may be stored in an online database as a "hit" in an online environment. The footprint may track the user's ], when it was created, where it came from, and the footprint later being analyzed. In an ] environment, ] can access and view the machine's actions without seeing who performed them. Examples of passive digital footprints are apps that use ]s, websites that download cookies onto your appliance, or ]. Although passive digital footprints are inevitable, they can be lessened by deleting old accounts, using ] (public or private accounts), and occasionally online searching yourself to see the information left behind.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rossi |first1=Julien |last2=Bigot |first2=Jean-Édouard |date=2019-01-03 |title=Traces numériques et recherche scientifique au prisme du droit des données personnelles |url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-les-enjeux-de-l-information-et-de-la-communication-2018-2-page-161.htm?ref=doi |journal=Les Enjeux de l'Information et de la Communication |volume=19/2 |issue=2 |pages=161–177 |doi=10.3917/enic.025.0161 |issn=1778-4239 |doi-access=free}}</ref> | |||
Active digital footprints are deliberate, as they are posted or shared information willingly. They can also be stored in a variety of ways depending on the situation. A digital footprint can be stored when a user ] into a site and makes a ] or change; the registered name is connected to the edit in an online environment. Examples of active digital footprints include social media posts, video or image uploads, or changes to various websites.<ref name=":5" /> | |||
== Web browsing == | |||
The penus penus penus penus big floppy penus digital footprint applicable specifically to the ] is the ''internet footprint'';<ref>{{Cite conference|first=Simson|last=Garfinkel|first2=David|last2=Cox|title=Finding and Archiving the Internet Footprint|location=London, England|url=http://simson.net/clips/academic/2009.BL.InternetFootprint.pdf|booktitle=Presented at the first Digital Lives Research Conference}}</ref> also known as ''cyber shadow'' or ''digital shadow'', information is Penus left behind as a result of a user's web-browsing and stored as ]s. The term usually applies to an individual person, but can also refer to a business, organization and corporation.<ref>{{cite web|last=COLLINS|first=KATIE|title=Monitoring digital footprints to prevent reputation damage and cyber attacks|url=http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/01/digital-shadows-alastair-paterson|accessdate=08 AUGUST 13}}</ref> | |||
Information may be intentionally or unintentionally left behind by the user; with it being either passively or actively collected by other interested parties. Depending on the amount of information left behind, it may be simple for other parties to gather large amounts of information on that individual using simple ]. Internet footprints are used by interested parties for several reasons; including ''cyber-vetting'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Dalgord|first=Chelsea|title=Cybervetting: The Hiring Process in the Digital Age|url=http://blogs.wayne.edu/informationpolicy/2012/12/07/cybervetting-the-hiring-process-in-the-digital-age-2/}}</ref> where interviewers could research applicants based on their online activities. Internet footprints are also used by law enforcement agencies, to provide information that would be unavailable otherwise due to a lack of Nappa ].{{Citation_needed|date=March 2014}} | |||
''Social networking systems'' may record activities of individuals, with data becoming a need to bang okay '']''. Such usage of ] and roaming services allow digital tracing data to include individual interests, social groups, behaviours, and location. Such data can be gathered from sensors within devices, and collected and analyzed without user awareness.{{Citation_needed|date=March 2014}} | |||
== Privacy issues == | == Privacy issues == | ||
Digital footprints are not a ] or ], but the content and ] collected impacts |
Digital footprints are not a ] or ], but the content and ] collected impacts ], ], ], digital ], and ]. As the digital world expands and integrates with more aspects of life, ownership and rights concerning data become increasingly important. Digital footprints are controversial in that privacy and openness compete.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/4339771/Threat-to-privacy-under-data-law-campaigners-warn.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204004049/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/4339771/Threat-to-privacy-under-data-law-campaigners-warn.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 February 2009 | title=Threat to privacy under data law, campaigners warn | work=Telegraph | date=26 January 2009 | access-date=22 March 2014 | location=London | first=Duncan | last=Gardham}}</ref> ], CEO of ], said in 1999 ''Get Over It'' when referring to privacy on the Internet.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sprenger, Polly |date=26 January 1999 |title=Sun on Privacy: 'Get Over It' |url=http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/01/17538 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710020917/http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/01/17538 |archive-date=2014-07-10 |access-date=22 March 2014 |magazine=Wired}}</ref> The quote later became a commonly used phrase in discussing private data and what companies do with it.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-01-10|title=Digital Footprint: Part 2 {{!}} Hueya: Securing Your Digital World|url=https://www.hueya.io/digital-footprint-part-2/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Hueya - Online Privacy Software|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010221956/https://www.hueya.io/digital-footprint-part-2/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Digital footprints are a privacy concern because they are a set of traceable actions, contributions, and ideas shared by users. It can be tracked and can allow internet users to learn about human actions.<ref>{{Cite web|last=2015nets_adminusr|date=2019-07-22|title=What is a digital footprint?|url=https://www.netsafe.org.nz/digital-footprint/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Netsafe – Providing free online safety advice in New Zealand|language=en-NZ}}</ref> | ||
Interested parties use Internet footprints for several reasons; including ''cyber-vetting'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.wayne.edu/informationpolicy/2012/12/07/cybervetting-the-hiring-process-in-the-digital-age-2/|title=Cybervetting: The Hiring Process in the Digital Age|last=Dalgord|first=Chelsea|date=2012-12-07|access-date=2013-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223140/http://blogs.wayne.edu/informationpolicy/2012/12/07/cybervetting-the-hiring-process-in-the-digital-age-2/|archive-date=2013-12-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> where interviewers could research applicants based on their online activities. Internet footprints are also used by law enforcement agencies to provide information unavailable otherwise due to a lack of ].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Diab |first1=Robert |title=Protecting the Right to Privacy in Digital Devices: Reasonable Search on Arrest and at the Border |journal=University of New Brunswick Law Journal |date=1 March 2018 |volume=69 |pages=96–125 |ssrn=3393119 }}</ref> Also, digital footprints are used by marketers to find what products a user is interested in or to inspire ones' interest in a particular product based on similar interests.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingInsights/Pages/digital-footprints-abound.aspx|title=Digital Footprints Abound |last=Wyner |first=Gordon |website=American Marketing Association |access-date=3 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005083057/https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingInsights/Pages/digital-footprints-abound.aspx |archive-date=5 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
⚫ | While digital footprint |
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''Social networking systems'' may record the activities of individuals, with data becoming a '']''. Such ] usage and roaming services allow digital tracing data to include individual interests, social groups, behaviors, and location. Such data is gathered from sensors within devices and collected and analyzed without user awareness.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What a digital footprint? - Knowledgebase - ICTEA|url=https://www.ictea.com/cs/knowledgebase.php?action=displayarticle&id=2235&language=english|access-date=2020-10-10|website=www.ictea.com}}</ref> When many users choose to share personal information about themselves through social media platforms, including places they visited, timelines and their connections, they are unaware of the privacy setting choices and the security consequences associated with them.<ref name=":0">Ball, Albert; Ranim, Michelle; Levy, Yair (January 1, 2015). Online Journal of Applied Knowledge Management. pp185</ref> Many social media sites, like ], collect an extensive amount of information that can be used to piece together a user's personality. Information gathered from social media, such as the number of friends a user has, can predict whether or not the user has an introvert or extrovert personality. Moreover, a survey of SNS users revealed that 87% identified their work or education level, 84% identified their full date of birth, 78% identified their location, and 23% listed their phone numbers.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
⚫ | While one's digital footprint may infer personal information, such as demographic traits, sexual orientation, race, religious and political views, personality, or intelligence<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kosinski |first1=M. |last2=Stillwell |first2=D. |last3=Graepel |first3=T. |title=Private traits and attributes are predictable from digital records of human behavior |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |date=11 March 2013 |volume=110 |issue=15 |pages=5802–5805 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1218772110 |pmid=23479631 |pmc=3625324 |bibcode=2013PNAS..110.5802K |doi-access=free }}</ref> without individuals' knowledge, it also exposes individuals' private psychological spheres into the social sphere.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Latour |first=Bruno |title=Beware, your imagination leaves digital traces |journal=Column for Times Higher Education Supplement |volume=6 |issue=4 |year=2007 |pages=129–131 |url=http://www.bruno-latour.fr/sites/default/files/P-129-THES-GB.pdf }}</ref> ''Lifelogging'' is an example of an indiscriminate collection of information concerning an individual's life and behavior.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O’Hara |first1=Kieron |last2=Tuffield |first2=Mischa M. |last3=Shadbolt |first3=Nigel |title=Lifelogging: Privacy and empowerment with memories for life |journal=Identity in the Information Society |date=20 February 2009 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=155–172 |doi=10.1007/s12394-009-0008-4 |doi-access=free }}</ref> There are actions to take to make a digital footprint challenging to track.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singer |first=Natasha |date=2013-06-20 |title=Ways to Make Your Online Tracks Harder to Follow |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/ways-to-make-your-online-tracks-harder-to-follow-2/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Bits Blog |language=en}}</ref> An example of the usage or interpretation of data trails is through Facebook-influenced creditworthiness ratings,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lobosco |first=Katie |date=2013-08-26 |title=Facebook friends could change your credit score |url=https://money.cnn.com/2013/08/26/technology/social/facebook-credit-score/index.html |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=CNNMoney}}</ref> the judicial investigations around German social scientist Andrej Holm,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sennett |first1=Richard |last2=Sassen |first2=Saskia |title=Richard Sennett and Saskia Sassen: Guantanamo in Germany |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/aug/21/highereducation.uk1 |work=The Guardian |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> advertisement-junk mails by the American company ]<ref>{{cite news |title=OfficeMax Apologizes After Sending Grieving Father Terrible Letter |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/mike-seay-officemax-lette_n_4632822.html |work=HuffPost |date=20 January 2014 }}</ref> or the border incident of Canadian citizen Ellen Richardson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Border refusal for depressed paraplegic shows Canada-U.S. security co-operation has gone too far|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/11/29/border_refusal_for_depressed_paraplegic_shows_canadaus_security_cooperation_has_gone_too_far_walkom.html|access-date=December 20, 2013|newspaper= The Star|location=Toronto|date=29 November 2013}}</ref> | ||
==Impacts== | |||
=== Workforce === | |||
An increasing number of employers are evaluating applicants by their digital footprint through their interaction on social media due to its reduced cost and easy accessibility<ref>Broughton, A., Foley, B., Ledermaier, S., & Cox, A. (2013). The use of social media in the recruitment process. ''Institute for Employment Studies, Brighton''.</ref> during the hiring process. By using such resources, employers can gain more insight on candidates beyond their well-scripted interview responses and perfected resumes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Berkelaar|first=Brenda L.|date=2014-07-18|title=Cybervetting, Online Information, and Personnel Selection: New Transparency Expectations and the Emergence of a Digital Social Contract|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0893318914541966|journal=Management Communication Quarterly|language=en|volume=28|issue=4|pages=479–506|doi=10.1177/0893318914541966|s2cid=146264434|issn=0893-3189}}</ref> Candidates who display poor communication skills, use inappropriate language, or use drugs or alcohol are rated lower.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Iddekinge|first1=Chad H.|last2=Lanivich|first2=Stephen E.|last3=Roth|first3=Philip L.|last4=Junco|first4=Elliott|date=2016-12-16|title=Social Media for Selection? Validity and Adverse Impact Potential of a Facebook-Based Assessment|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0149206313515524|journal=Journal of Management|language=en|volume=42|issue=7|pages=1811–1835|doi=10.1177/0149206313515524|s2cid=143067929|issn=0149-2063}}</ref> Conversely, a candidate with a professional or family-oriented social media presence receives higher ratings.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bohnert|first1=Daniel|last2=Ross|first2=William H.|date=2010-06-17|title=The Influence of Social Networking Web Sites on the Evaluation of Job Candidates|url=http://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cyber.2009.0193|journal=Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking|language=en|volume=13|issue=3|pages=341–347|doi=10.1089/cyber.2009.0193|pmid=20557256|issn=2152-2715}}</ref> Employers also assess a candidate through their digital footprint to determine if a candidate is a good cultural fit<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lambiotte|first1=Renaud|last2=Kosinski|first2=Michal|date=December 2014|title=Tracking the Digital Footprints of Personality|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6939627|journal=Proceedings of the IEEE|volume=102|issue=12|pages=1934–1939|doi=10.1109/JPROC.2014.2359054|s2cid=11085292|issn=0018-9219}}</ref> for their organization.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-07 |title=SHRM Survey Findings: Using Social Media for Talent Acquisition - Recruitment and Screening |url=https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Documents/SHRM-Social-Media-Recruiting-Screening-2015.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430125717/https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Documents/SHRM-Social-Media-Recruiting-Screening-2015.pdf |archive-date=2017-04-30 |website=Society for Human Resource Management.}}</ref> Suppose a candidate upholds an organization's values or shows existing passion for its mission. In that case, the candidate is more likely to integrate within the organization and could accomplish more than the average person. Although these assessments are known not to be accurate predictors of performance or turnover rates,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Iddekinge|first1=Chad H.|last2=Lanivich|first2=Stephen E.|last3=Roth|first3=Philip L.|last4=Junco|first4=Elliott|date=2016-11-16|title=Social Media for Selection? Validity and Adverse Impact Potential of a Facebook-Based Assessment|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0149206313515524|journal=Journal of Management|language=en|volume=42|issue=7|pages=1811–1835|doi=10.1177/0149206313515524|s2cid=143067929|issn=0149-2063}}</ref> employers still use digital footprints to evaluate their applicants. Thus, job seekers prefer to create a social media presence that would be viewed positively from a professional point of view. | |||
In some professions, maintaining a digital footprint is essential. People will search the internet for specific doctors and their reviews. Half of the search results for a particular physician link to third-party rating websites.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kim|first1=Christopher|last2=Gupta|first2=Raghav|last3=Shah|first3=Aakash|last4=Madill|first4=Evan|last5=Prabhu|first5=Arpan V.|last6=Agarwal|first6=Nitin|date=May 2018|title=Digital Footprint of Neurological Surgeons|journal=World Neurosurgery|volume=113|pages=e172–e178|doi=10.1016/j.wneu.2018.01.210|pmid=29427816}}</ref> For this reason, prospective patients may unknowingly choose their physicians based on their digital footprint in addition to online reviews. Furthermore, a generation relies on social media for livelihood as ] by using their digital footprint. These influencers have dedicated fan bases that may be eager to follow recommendations. As a result, marketers pay influencers to promote their products among their followers, since this medium may yield better returns than traditional advertising.<ref>{{Citation|last=Gretzel|first=Ulrike|title=Influencer marketing in travel and tourism|date=2017-07-20|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315565736-13|work=Advances in Social Media for Travel, Tourism and Hospitality|pages=147–156|publisher=Routledge|doi=10.4324/9781315565736-13|isbn=978-1-315-56573-6|access-date=2020-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Twenge|first1=Jean M.|last2=Martin|first2=Gabrielle N.|last3=Spitzberg|first3=Brian H.|date=2019-10-01|title=Trends in U.S. Adolescents' media use, 1976–2016: The rise of digital media, the decline of TV, and the (near) demise of print.|url=http://doi.apa.org/getdoi.cfm?doi=10.1037/ppm0000203|journal=Psychology of Popular Media Culture|language=en|volume=8|issue=4|pages=329–345|doi=10.1037/ppm0000203|s2cid=158283705|issn=2160-4142}}</ref> Consequently, one's career may be reliant on their digital footprint. | |||
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=== Children === | |||
] | |||
] will not be the first generation born into the internet world. As such, a child's digital footprint is becoming more significant than ever before and their consequences may be unclear. As a result of parenting enthusiasm, an increasing amount of parents will create social media accounts for their children at a young age, sometimes even before they are born.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-10-06 |title=Digital Birth: Welcome to the Online World |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101006006722/en/Digital-Birth-Welcome-to-the-Online-World |access-date=2020-11-03 |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en}}{{Dead url|date=May 2024}}</ref> Parents may post up to 13,000 photos of a child on social media in their celebratory state before their teen years of everyday life or birthday celebrations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2018-11-08|title=Children's Commissioner's report calls on internet giants and toy manufacturers to be transparent about collection of children's data|url=https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2018/11/08/childrens-commissioners-report-calls-on-internet-giants-and-toy-manufacturers-to-be-transparent-about-collection-of-childrens-data/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=Children's Commissioner for England|language=en-GB}}</ref> Furthermore, these children are predicted to post 70,000 times online on their own by 18.<ref name=":1" /> The advent of posting on social media creates many opportunities to gather data from minors. Since an identity's basic components contain a name, birth date, and address, these children are susceptible to ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Internet safety for children {{!}} Keeping kids safe online {{!}} Barclays|url=https://www.barclays.co.uk/moments/helping-younger-generations/Internet-safety-for-children/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=www.barclays.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> While parents may assume that privacy settings may prevent children's photos and data from being exposed, they also have to trust that their followers will not be compromised. Outsiders may take the images to pose as these children's parents or post the content publicly.<ref>Steinberg, S. B. (2016). Sharenting: Children's privacy in the age of social media. ''Emory LJ'', ''66'', 839.</ref> For example, during the ], friends of friends leaked data to data miners. Due to the child's presence on social media, their privacy may be at risk. | |||
=== Teenagers === | |||
Some professionals argue that young people entering the workforce should consider the effect of their digital footprint on their ] and professionalism.<ref name=":3" /> Having a digital footprint may be very good for students, as college admissions staff and potential employers may decide to research into prospective student's and employee's online profiles, leading to an enormous impact on the students' futures.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=10 Things Your Students Should Know About Their Digital Footprints |url=http://www.teachhub.com/10-things-your-students-should-know-about-their-digital-footprints |website=TeachHUB |access-date=2016-10-04 |archive-date=2020-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128182415/http://www.teachhub.com/10-things-your-students-should-know-about-their-digital-footprints |url-status=dead }}</ref> Teens will be set up for more success if they consider the kind of impact they are making and how it can affect their future. Instead, someone who acts apathetic towards the impression they are making online will struggle if they one day choose to attend college or enter into the workforce.<ref name=Bates2018>{{cite web |last1=Bates |first1=Cathy |date=October 29, 2018 |title=Take Charge of Your Online Reputation |url=https://er.educause.edu/articles/2018/10/take-charge-of-your-online-reputation |website=] }}</ref> Teens who plan to receive a ] will have their digital footprint reviewed and assessed as a part of the ] process.<ref name="Van Ouytsel et al 2014">{{cite journal |last1=Van Ouytsel |first1=Joris |last2=Walrave |first2=Michel |last3=Ponnet |first3=Koen |title=How Schools Can Help Their Students to Strengthen Their Online Reputations |journal=The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas |date=5 June 2014 |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=180–185 |doi=10.1080/00098655.2014.909380 |s2cid=143484401 }}</ref> Besides, if the teens that have the intention of receiving a higher education are planning to do so with financial help and scholarships, then they need to consider that their digital footprint will be evaluated in the application process to get ]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/harmful-digital-footprint-impacts-teens/|title=Harmful Digital Footprint Impacts That Parents Should Know About|website=www.fosi.org|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref> | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
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== References == | == References == | ||
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== Further reading == | == Further reading == | ||
*{{cite journal |last1=Arya |first1=Vikas |last2=Sethi |first2=Deepa |last3=Paul |first3=Justin |title=Does digital footprint act as a digital asset? – Enhancing brand experience through remarketing |journal=International Journal of Information Management |date=1 December 2019 |volume=49 |pages=142–156 |doi=10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.03.013 |s2cid=191181989 }} | |||
Kieron O’Hara- Lifelogging: Privacy and empowerment with memories for life (Tuffield, Mischa M. and Shadbolt, Nigel (2009)) | |||
* {{cite web | author=BBVA | title=The enormous data trail we generate throughout the day | website=NEWS BBVA | date=2016-08-24 | url=https://www.bbva.com/en/the-enormous-data-trail-we-generate-throughout-the-day/ | access-date=2022-05-28|quote=Have you ever stopped to think about all the data you generate throughout the day? It was the possibility of actually making use of all this data through numerous apps, records and data bases that gave rise to ].}} | |||
] | ] | ||
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Latest revision as of 14:02, 22 December 2024
One's unique set of traceable digital activities This article is about a person's set of traceable digital activities. For passively produced data during online activity, see Data exhaust.This article contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. Please help rewrite the content so that it is more encyclopedic or move it to Wikiversity, Wikibooks, or Wikivoyage. (November 2021) |
Digital footprint or digital shadow refers to one's unique set of traceable digital activities, actions, contributions, and communications manifested on the Internet or digital devices. Digital footprints can be classified as either passive or active. The former is composed of a user's web-browsing activity and information stored as cookies. The latter is often released deliberately by a user to share information on websites or social media. While the term usually applies to a person, a digital footprint can also refer to a business, organization or corporation.
The use of a digital footprint has both positive and negative consequences. On one side, it is the subject of many privacy issues. For example, without an individual's authorization, strangers can piece together information about that individual by only using search engines. Corporations are also able to produce customized ads based on browsing history. On the other hand, others can reap the benefits by profiting off their digital footprint as social media influencers. Furthermore, employers use a candidate's digital footprint for online vetting and assessing fit due to its reduced cost and accessibility. Between two equal candidates, a candidate with a positive digital footprint may have an advantage. As technology usage becomes more widespread, even children generate larger digital footprints with potential positive and negative consequences such as college admissions. Since it is hard not to have a digital footprint, it is in one's best interest to create a positive one.
Types of digital footprints
Passive digital footprints are a data trail that an individual involuntarily leaves online. They can be stored in various ways depending on the situation. A footprint may be stored in an online database as a "hit" in an online environment. The footprint may track the user's IP address, when it was created, where it came from, and the footprint later being analyzed. In an offline environment, administrators can access and view the machine's actions without seeing who performed them. Examples of passive digital footprints are apps that use geolocations, websites that download cookies onto your appliance, or browser history. Although passive digital footprints are inevitable, they can be lessened by deleting old accounts, using privacy settings (public or private accounts), and occasionally online searching yourself to see the information left behind.
Active digital footprints are deliberate, as they are posted or shared information willingly. They can also be stored in a variety of ways depending on the situation. A digital footprint can be stored when a user logs into a site and makes a post or change; the registered name is connected to the edit in an online environment. Examples of active digital footprints include social media posts, video or image uploads, or changes to various websites.
Privacy issues
Digital footprints are not a digital identity or passport, but the content and metadata collected impacts internet privacy, trust, security, digital reputation, and recommendation. As the digital world expands and integrates with more aspects of life, ownership and rights concerning data become increasingly important. Digital footprints are controversial in that privacy and openness compete. Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun Microsystems, said in 1999 Get Over It when referring to privacy on the Internet. The quote later became a commonly used phrase in discussing private data and what companies do with it. Digital footprints are a privacy concern because they are a set of traceable actions, contributions, and ideas shared by users. It can be tracked and can allow internet users to learn about human actions.
Interested parties use Internet footprints for several reasons; including cyber-vetting, where interviewers could research applicants based on their online activities. Internet footprints are also used by law enforcement agencies to provide information unavailable otherwise due to a lack of probable cause. Also, digital footprints are used by marketers to find what products a user is interested in or to inspire ones' interest in a particular product based on similar interests.
Social networking systems may record the activities of individuals, with data becoming a life stream. Such social media usage and roaming services allow digital tracing data to include individual interests, social groups, behaviors, and location. Such data is gathered from sensors within devices and collected and analyzed without user awareness. When many users choose to share personal information about themselves through social media platforms, including places they visited, timelines and their connections, they are unaware of the privacy setting choices and the security consequences associated with them. Many social media sites, like Facebook, collect an extensive amount of information that can be used to piece together a user's personality. Information gathered from social media, such as the number of friends a user has, can predict whether or not the user has an introvert or extrovert personality. Moreover, a survey of SNS users revealed that 87% identified their work or education level, 84% identified their full date of birth, 78% identified their location, and 23% listed their phone numbers.
While one's digital footprint may infer personal information, such as demographic traits, sexual orientation, race, religious and political views, personality, or intelligence without individuals' knowledge, it also exposes individuals' private psychological spheres into the social sphere. Lifelogging is an example of an indiscriminate collection of information concerning an individual's life and behavior. There are actions to take to make a digital footprint challenging to track. An example of the usage or interpretation of data trails is through Facebook-influenced creditworthiness ratings, the judicial investigations around German social scientist Andrej Holm, advertisement-junk mails by the American company OfficeMax or the border incident of Canadian citizen Ellen Richardson.
Impacts
Workforce
An increasing number of employers are evaluating applicants by their digital footprint through their interaction on social media due to its reduced cost and easy accessibility during the hiring process. By using such resources, employers can gain more insight on candidates beyond their well-scripted interview responses and perfected resumes. Candidates who display poor communication skills, use inappropriate language, or use drugs or alcohol are rated lower. Conversely, a candidate with a professional or family-oriented social media presence receives higher ratings. Employers also assess a candidate through their digital footprint to determine if a candidate is a good cultural fit for their organization. Suppose a candidate upholds an organization's values or shows existing passion for its mission. In that case, the candidate is more likely to integrate within the organization and could accomplish more than the average person. Although these assessments are known not to be accurate predictors of performance or turnover rates, employers still use digital footprints to evaluate their applicants. Thus, job seekers prefer to create a social media presence that would be viewed positively from a professional point of view.
In some professions, maintaining a digital footprint is essential. People will search the internet for specific doctors and their reviews. Half of the search results for a particular physician link to third-party rating websites. For this reason, prospective patients may unknowingly choose their physicians based on their digital footprint in addition to online reviews. Furthermore, a generation relies on social media for livelihood as influencers by using their digital footprint. These influencers have dedicated fan bases that may be eager to follow recommendations. As a result, marketers pay influencers to promote their products among their followers, since this medium may yield better returns than traditional advertising. Consequently, one's career may be reliant on their digital footprint.
Children
Generation Alpha will not be the first generation born into the internet world. As such, a child's digital footprint is becoming more significant than ever before and their consequences may be unclear. As a result of parenting enthusiasm, an increasing amount of parents will create social media accounts for their children at a young age, sometimes even before they are born. Parents may post up to 13,000 photos of a child on social media in their celebratory state before their teen years of everyday life or birthday celebrations. Furthermore, these children are predicted to post 70,000 times online on their own by 18. The advent of posting on social media creates many opportunities to gather data from minors. Since an identity's basic components contain a name, birth date, and address, these children are susceptible to identity theft. While parents may assume that privacy settings may prevent children's photos and data from being exposed, they also have to trust that their followers will not be compromised. Outsiders may take the images to pose as these children's parents or post the content publicly. For example, during the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal, friends of friends leaked data to data miners. Due to the child's presence on social media, their privacy may be at risk.
Teenagers
Some professionals argue that young people entering the workforce should consider the effect of their digital footprint on their marketability and professionalism. Having a digital footprint may be very good for students, as college admissions staff and potential employers may decide to research into prospective student's and employee's online profiles, leading to an enormous impact on the students' futures. Teens will be set up for more success if they consider the kind of impact they are making and how it can affect their future. Instead, someone who acts apathetic towards the impression they are making online will struggle if they one day choose to attend college or enter into the workforce. Teens who plan to receive a higher education will have their digital footprint reviewed and assessed as a part of the application process. Besides, if the teens that have the intention of receiving a higher education are planning to do so with financial help and scholarships, then they need to consider that their digital footprint will be evaluated in the application process to get scholarships.
See also
- Alternative data
- Behavioral targeting
- Browser isolation
- Data exhaust
- Digital identity
- Internet anonymity
- Internet privacy
- Online advertising
- Online identity
- Reality mining
- Reputation management
- SIGINT
- Social engineering
- Social genome
- Targeted marketing
- UK/USA Agreement
- Universal Product Code
- Web tracking
- Website
- Wire data
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Further reading
- Arya, Vikas; Sethi, Deepa; Paul, Justin (1 December 2019). "Does digital footprint act as a digital asset? – Enhancing brand experience through remarketing". International Journal of Information Management. 49: 142–156. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.03.013. S2CID 191181989.
- BBVA (2016-08-24). "The enormous data trail we generate throughout the day". NEWS BBVA. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
Have you ever stopped to think about all the data you generate throughout the day? It was the possibility of actually making use of all this data through numerous apps, records and data bases that gave rise to Big Data.