Do you know how many websites you’ve surfed today? Do you remember all posts you’ve liked
or shared or commented on social media in the last 7 days? All the activities you do are
traceable over the internet. This means, you are leaving your digital footprints with every action
you do on the web. Let’s first understand what does ‘digital footprints’ exactly mean for your
Cyber Safety? It is a term used to describe the traces of data you leave over the internet.
That is why, it is for your Digital Wellbeing, it is important to be very careful whatever you share
online, as it might have a Positive Impact or a negative impact. Remember, anything you put
on the internet, stays on the internet. This includes your photos, personal details, documentary
details, card details, etc. Whenever you sign up for something new, subscribe to emails, or join
a social media network, you are entering into that web browser. Hence, there are chances of
someone else having access to your data. In today’s fast pacing world, you ought to learn about
your own Cyber Safety.
For instance, whenever you delete something you’ve shared on Facebook, it will be
permanently deleted from their web servers, but some details will only be deleted when you
choose to permanently close your account. Hence, for your Digital Wellbeing, it is better to
check the privacy settings of your posts and account as well. This will keep your online
reputation as a Positive Impact in the long run of the information you share on the net. On a
secondary thought, this can be a boon to the companies dealing with online local and overseas
projects to trace what the people of their organization are doing.
Have you often seen the ads that you’ve recently searched for or purchased? This is because
the cookies left in their browsers help them in retargeting ads. Oftentimes, these ads can be too
distracting and not entertained by people. These are some of the active methods of how your
details can be tracked. Sometimes, for Cyber Safety or hacking, your online information can
also be provided to anyone without your concern. This is a passive method.
Your internet details can reveal a lot about your personality. Sometimes, your digital footprints
can have a Positive Impact that can help trace your location in case of emergencies. Some tips
you can keep in mind for your cyber security are, keeping different passwords for different online
accounts, do not keep easily recognizable numbers like your birthdate as your security pin, keep
authentication through OTPs or security questions and checking your account privacy settings.