Digital footprint and netiquette

The essentials

A digital footprint is the trail of data a person leaves behind while using the Internet: websites visited, posts, comments, emails, online purchases and location data. It can be difficult to delete completely and can be seen by others, including future colleges and employers. A digital citizen is a person who uses digital technology and the Internet responsibly.

Key points

• Active digital footprint: data a user shares intentionally, such as social media posts, emails and online form entries.
• Passive digital footprint: data collected without the user actively sharing it, such as browsing history, IP address, cookies and location tracked by apps.
• Net etiquette (netiquette): good manners online. Be ethical (do not use copyrighted material without permission; share expertise), be respectful (respect privacy; respect diversity of opinions), and be responsible (avoid cyberbullying; do not feed the trolls).
• Communication etiquette: be precise and respect others' time and data limits, be polite even in disagreement, and be credible, since posts can be traced back to the writer.
• Social media etiquette: choose strong passwords, check privacy settings, think before uploading photos or personal details, and do not share fake news.
• A troll posts deliberately provocative comments to upset people; the best response is usually not to react.
• Sharing personal information such as home address, phone number or school name publicly can lead to misuse.

Exam tips

• Classify examples quickly: a photo you posted is active; cookies storing your browsing are passive.
• Questions often ask for the best response to a situation, such as receiving an offensive comment.

Common mistakes

• Assuming deleted posts disappear completely; copies and screenshots may remain.
• Thinking a digital footprint is only what you post yourself.