top of page

Describe at least three strategies that you can use to keep your digital footprint appropriate and safe. 

There are many ways to keep your digital footprint safe, as well as many softwares that can keep you protected while surfing the Internet. 
1. Check over the privacy settings on your social media accounts and web browsers. Make sure the settings are to your preference and is what you want to display. 
  • Even if your account is private, it is still recommended ​to check the settings. 
  • Not being careful of what is being exposed could cause a lot of harm (refer to Question 1).​​
2.  Go into your web browser's settings and manage all the cookies that is stored. Is it possible to block and disable some of them?​
  • Cookies gather all the information from your searches and links them together so third-parties can make inferences about your behaviour, intentions, etc. 
  • Clearing your cookies could avoid being tracked and prevent third-parties from saving your personal information. 
3.  Google yourself once in a while and see what you can find. If there is an old account that you no longer use, it's better to delete it. 
  • Deleting old accounts will remove old and potentially wrong information about yourself. 
  • Getting rid of old accounts will also prevent others from seeing your old activities and embarrassing posts (if there are any). 
3.  Install softwares that could shield and protect your browser. Installing these tools will help enhance your privacy while roaming the Internet.
  • One tool is Abine (https://www.abine.com/index.html). 
    • Abine includes tools such as DeleteMe and Blur.
      • DeleteMe can remove your personal information from ​many sites such as anywho.com, whitepages.com, peoplelooker.com, and lots more!
      • Blur protects personal information like passwords, payment details, etc.
  • Another is TrackMeNot (http://cs.nyu.edu/trackmenot/).
    • TrackMeNot protects web servers from surveillance and data profiling. ​
  • And lastly, there is Ghostery (https://www.ghostery.com/).
    • Ghostery identifies and blocks tracking information in web browsers.​
    • Ghostery also gives you control over what is visible on the Internet, such as advertisements.
    • By eliminating what is no longer needed, Ghostery enables quicker browsing and page-loading. 
There are way more tips and strategies to keep your digital footprint appropriate while remaining safe on the Internet. The ones listed above and in the video are only just a few. 
bottom of page