Reputation Guards | Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Digital Footprint

No matter the size or stage of your business, having an effective digital footprint is critical for its growth and expansion. Not only can an improved digital presence boost customer relations, but it can also attract new ones!

Your digital footprint expands every time you interact with the Internet - whether that means banking transactions, shopping purchases, or social media posts.

1. Update Your Privacy Settings

Reputation Guards As a millennial on TikTok or a fashion influencer on Instagram, you can build up a positive digital footprint by restricting information sharing and posting only posts that reflect how others perceive you. Unfortunately, having an expanding digital footprint exposes you to cybersecurity risks.

Lacking control over your personal information online leaves it vulnerable to cybercriminals and may paint an unfavorable reflection on you, so your privacy settings must be regularly reviewed.

Assuming you no longer use them, any old accounts should be deleted to minimize your digital footprint and maintain its cleanliness. In addition, if you're constantly on the move and connecting to public Wi-Fi networks (such as airport or coffee shop networks), consider investing in a VPN to secure your connection and block malware, as this will also help limit passive footprinting.

2. Set Up A Google Alert

Reputation Guards Whenever you search a topic online, open an email, or use an app, your digital footprint leaves behind tracks that marketers and scammers can use to build a picture of who you are. However, you can protect yourself online by strengthening and protecting your digital footprint.

Setting up a Google Alert can be one of the best tools to do just this, allowing you to monitor your name or brand online and receive alerts when new content mentions you - whether this be "as it happens," daily, or weekly notifications and whether or not specific types of material is being discussed online.

One way to strengthen your digital footprint is by updating professional online profiles. Accounts and information must be accurate to give potential employers or colleagues exact details while protecting you against identity theft. Check out this Internet Society video for more on keeping online profiles professional.

3. Use Public Wi-Fi Only When Necessary

A digital footprint is the trace you leave when using the Internet, including every Google search, Facebook like, and Amazon purchase. Your digital footprint also includes items such as your IP address - an identifier that helps locate you online.

No one can escape leaving an online footprint entirely. Still, you can reduce its size by updating your privacy settings, closing old accounts, and avoiding public Wi-Fi when possible. This latter form is typically unsecured and provides threat actors an easy path toward accessing personal data that they could exploit against you.

We found that many people use public Wi-Fi for various reasons, such as accessing it at airports or coffee shops where their mobile data may not be available, saving on cell data usage while streaming videos, and for remote work. To reduce your footprint while enjoying public Wi-Fi's convenience, turn off background app refresh on devices to only use public Wi-Fi for data-intensive tasks and keep an eye on how much data you consume; be mindful of your bill!

4. Use Strong Passwords

Whenever you browse the Internet, use social media, shop online, or open an email, you leave behind a digital footprint - an electronic trail of breadcrumbs that reveals who you are to everyone, from advertisers to scammers.

Implementing strong passwords is an easy and effective way to bolster digital security. Strong passwords should be extended, difficult-to-guess passwords composed of letters, numbers, and symbols that differ across all online accounts you own; this prevents hackers from breaching one or more accounts by accessing just one piece of information.    

5. Unsubscribe From Mailing Lists

Whenever you post something online, create an account, make a video call, or send an email, you leave behind digital breadcrumbs that collectively form a digital image of who you are. Anyone with internet access can see that. Marketing companies may use this information for targeted advertising campaigns, while cybercriminals may use it to commit identity theft.

Unsubscribing from mailing lists that no longer interest you is an effective way of clearing away clutter on the Internet and decreasing unwanted mail. This simple step can drastically reduce the weekly spam and unwanted mail.

As the Internet continues to develop, students should learn the importance of managing their online presence and how it could affect their futures. By protecting their digital footprints, students can preserve personal or professional data and lower the risk of cyberattacks by updating privacy settings, creating Google Alerts, or using virtual private networks - strengthening online security while keeping their digital footprint clean.

A solid and positive digital footprint is essential for individuals and businesses. By implementing simple steps like updating privacy settings, setting up Google Alerts, using public Wi-Fi only when necessary, using strong passwords, and unsubscribing from mailing lists, one can strengthen their digital presence while protecting themselves against cyber threats. It is crucial to remember that our online activities leave behind an electronic trail, and we must take steps to manage and safeguard our digital footprints to preserve personal and professional data and reduce the risk of cyberattacks.