In 2021, there were 1,862 data breaches online, a 68 percent rise. With the increase of cyber attacks, it is well-advised to guard your data with your life. As you have become used to shelling out “who you are” online, we think that less is more.
Every action you take online matters. The post you made on Twitter, the thing you bought on Amazon, and signing up for a new e-mail address all account for something. These digital footprints build a profile about you than can be used against you, to phish you, and scam you.
To learn how you can protect yourself and improve your online privacy, read our guide below.
Watch What You Share
When discussing digital footprints and online privacy protection, you need to first be mindful of what you share. Whoever’s hands (advertisers, marketers, credit card issuers, law enforcement agencies, cybercriminals) this information gets into can do what they please.
Let’s touch upon three categories to be aware of below.
Logins
Have you become accustomed to clicking the Facebook button every time you want to log in? While it may be convenient, it is not the safest method.
We recommend logging in directly to the third-party site you’re using. If you have to log in with an e-mail, have separate e-mails that do not cough up sensitive information about yourself (government name, birthday, etc.)
Social
Social media has become commonplace in today’s society, which is why it has also become a honeypot of sorts for hackers and bad actors. People easily dox themselves by entering their phone number, address, and e-mail for everyone to see.
A “like” isn’t what it may feel like to you either. For example, if you “like” your bank, your job, or your healthcare provider this will help a cybercriminal in getting the information they’re after.
Submissions
Anytime you provide valuable or personal information to an organization, your digital footprint increases. The data you share may end up being misused, mishandled, or suffer from a security breach.
Online privacy start with you, so think twice about what you’re willing to give up.
Avoid Unsafe Sites
Another helpful tip for reducing digital footprints is to always check the URL before you post or submit something. Reconsider providing personal information if the site begins with “HTTP” and not “HTTPS”. The added “S” stands for secure.
This is especially true when providing payment or financial data. It is even recommended to use a VPN for streaming.
Keep Your Digital Footprints Clean
When you take a walk on the beach, you can easily wash your feet off in the ocean. The same isn’t true when speaking of “walking the web”. You must learn to keep your digital footprints clean and to tell others to do the same.
You don’t want your friend or relative to fault prey to these cybercriminals, do you? The more you can familiarize yourself with how these cyber criminals think and act, the better off you’ll be. To keep up with the trends and know what to look out for, we advise you to check out our blog.