Use search engines to check your digital footprint
Limit the amount of data you share
Restrict your privacy settings
Avoid oversharing on social media
Avoid browsing the internet on public Wi-Fi
Avoid visiting unsafe websites
Keep an eye on your medical records
Don’t use single-account sign-ins (Facebook, Apple)
2. Use search engines to find
your name.
Include your first and last
name, as well as any spelling
variations.
Use search engines to
check your digital footprint
3. Your Logo Date//Time//Year
Every time you give your personal
information to a company, you expand
your digital footprint.
You also increase the chances that one
of the organizations storing your data
will misuse it or suffer a data breach,
putting your information at risk.
Limit the amount of
data you share
4. You can control who sees your social
media posts by adjusting your
privacy settings.
Examine these settings to ensure
they are at a level that you are
comfortable with.
Restrict your
privacy settings
5. Social media makes it simple to connect
with others, but it also facilitates
oversharing.
Avoid revealing your location, travel
plans, and other personal information on
your profile.
Avoid oversharing
on social media
6. Because you don't know who set it up
or who else might be watching, a
public Wi-Fi network is inherently less
secure than your personal one.
Avoid browsing the
internet on public Wi-Fi
7. Avoid visiting
unsafe websites
Verify that you’re transacting with a secure
website.
The URL should start with:
https://
Rather than:
http://
indicating that the site has a security
certificate.
8. Make sure that your records can be
viewed only by you, or authorized
doctors or their staff.
Update your passwords regularly.
Keep an eye on your
medical records
9. Using Facebook, Google or Apple to log into
websites and apps is convenient.
However, by using your credentials to sign
into a third-party website, you grant that
company permission to mine your Facebook,
Google or Apple user data.
Don’t use single-account sign-ins (Facebook, Apple)
10. Outdated software may contain
a plethora of digital footprints.
Cybercriminals could gain
access to this information if the
system is not kept up to date.
Don’t skip software
and OS updates
11. Take immediate action if you suspect
your data has been compromised as a
result of a breach.
If your financial data has been
compromised, notify your bank or credit
card provider of the breach.
Change any passwords that have been
exposed.
Act fast after a breach
12. Using a VPN, or virtual private network,
can help you protect your digital
footprint.
Because VPNs mask your IP address,
your online activities may be more
difficult to trace.
Use a VPN
13. A Google Alert will notify you
whenever your name appears online.
Create a Google Alert
for your name
14. Getting rid of dormant
accounts reduces your
risk of data breaches.
Delete old accounts and apps
15. The use of cookies has a significant
impact on how your online footprint is
constructed.
When prompted, decline cookies, or use a
browser (such as Brave or DuckDuckGo)
that prevents tracking by default.
Disable cookies, or use a browser that
does (Brave, DuckDuckGo)