Adults
Manage Your Digital Footprint to Prevent Online Harms
Staying safe online
Navigating online risks
Your online activities, from posting on social media to visiting websites, create a digital footprint that follows you over time. Learn how you can manage your digital footprint to stay safe online and reduce the risks of online harms such as stalking and doxxing.
What is a digital footprint?
Your digital footprint is the trail of information you leave behind through your online activities. This includes what others post about you.
Examples of what builds a digital footprint include:
Text messages
Photos or videos posted on social media
Comments, reactions, or messages online
Content where you are tagged by others
Usernames used across platforms
Search and browsing history, even in "Incognito" mode
Why is it important to manage your digital footprint?
Once something is shared online, others can copy, edit or save it. Even if you delete it later, it might still exist through screenshots, reposts or saved copies.
Your digital footprint can shape how others see and treat you in real life, which may affect your reputation and wellbeing. It may also affect future opportunities, such as job prospects, professional reputation or personal relationships. Over time, your digital footprint can also reveal more about your life than you intended, increasing your risk of online harms.
For example:
Online stalking may occur when someone repeatedly makes or tries to make unwanted contact with you
Doxxing may occur when someone shares your identity information online
Impersonation may occur when someone pretends to be you using your photos or details
Managing your digital footprint does not remove all risks, but it helps you stay more in control of what others can find out about you
How can you protect your digital footprint?
Check what is already online
Search your name, usernames, or photos to see what others can find
Delete or update content that reveals too much personal data
Review your privacy settings
Go through your privacy settings on social media, apps, and devices
Set your accounts to private where possible
Manage who can see your posts, contact or tag you
Be careful about who you accept as friends or followers
Be mindful about what you share
Avoid sharing personal details like your full name, location, daily routines, or contact information
Check photos and videos before posting as they may reveal more than intended, such as your appearance, location, workplace, hobbies or people you know, especially through backgrounds, identifiable landmarks and other visible details
T.H.I.N.K. before sharing, consider if the content is True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind
Consider how your posts might affect your privacy, reputation or relationships
What should you do in these situations?
You shared something a while ago that you now regret, but it has already been seen or shared by others. What should you do?
It is okay to change your mind after you post something, what matters is how you respond.
Delete or archive the original post to avoid further spread
Request others to stop sharing it and to delete or archive their posts if they have shared it
Use platform tools to report or limit further sharing if needed
Be more mindful of future posts and who can access them
You think someone may be monitoring your online activities and seems to know where you go or what you do. What should you do?
Online stalking can happen when someone uses information from your posts, locations or routines to track your activities over time.
Stop sharing real-time updates about your location or daily activities
Review past posts and remove content that reveals your routines, frequent locations, or personal details
Turn off location tagging on posts and apps where possible
Set your accounts to private and limit who can see your content
Remove or block accounts you do not know or trust
If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you can:
Take screenshots of any suspicious behaviour or interactions as evidence
Report to the OSC if the platform does not act on your report
Contact the police if you are in immediate danger
Managing your digital footprint is an ongoing process. By being mindful of what you share, reviewing your settings, and thinking before you post, you can stay in control of your information. Small actions can go a long way in helping you stay safe online.