A digital footprint is the trail of data left behind when using the Internet, mobile/smart devices, and apps. An active digital footprint is data that you knowingly create or share online like social media posts, emails, and online profiles. A passive digital footprint is data collected without your awareness like your internet browsing history, purchases and transactions, the digital address of your computer, and the data tracked by your web browser. With all this data circulating, know your risks:

• Data breaches – Unauthorized parties access data leading to potential identity theft, financial theft, or data misuse.
• Privacy or reputation impact – Publicly available data can affect how others perceive you. This can lead to credit damage or missed financial or job opportunities.
• Targeted advertising – Companies buy data to display ads to specific people with certain traits.