Digital footprint

A digital footprint is the trail of information associated with a person’s online activities, including data they provide and records created by their use of digital services.

Personally identifiable information: Information that identifies a person directly or can be linked to them with reasonable effort. Names, contact details, and identifiers can make footprint data traceable to an individual.
Web tracking: The observation of browsing activity across websites or services using identifiers and other signals. Tracking connects separate visits that would otherwise appear as isolated events.
Digital identity: The information and representations through which a person is recognized in digital environments. Footprint data can shape the identity that platforms and institutions infer.
Online privacy: The ability to control or limit how information about a person is collected, used, and shared online. Footprints raise questions about who can access personal traces and for what purposes.
Metadata: Data describing other data, such as its origin, time, format, or relationship to other information. Online records can reveal behavior through context even when their content is private.
Browser fingerprinting: A technique that identifies or distinguishes a browser by combining details about its configuration and behavior. A fingerprint can support recognition even when cookies are blocked or deleted.
Online reputation: The public perception of a person or organization formed through online information and interactions. Searchable posts and records can influence how others judge someone.
Data minimization: A principle of collecting and retaining only the personal data needed for a defined purpose. Limiting collection reduces the amount of information that can accumulate into a footprint.
Cookies: Small pieces of data that websites store in a browser to remember state or recognize later requests. Cookies can preserve identifiers and browsing preferences across visits.
Server log: A chronological record of events handled by a computer system or service. Web servers record requests and responses that contribute to activity histories.

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