Understanding Your Digital Footprint: Protecting Your Family Online

Who is Watching You? Your digital footprint… do you really know how much is out there?

Do you truly understand your digital footprint? I thought I did, but the more I explored, the more I discovered. It was both alarming and enlightening.

Back in the early days of Facebook, when it was a fledgling platform, we used it differently. The reach wasn't what it is today, and the potential consequences were not well understood. Fast forward 17 years, and it has evolved into an entirely different entity.

As an executive and a mother, this transformation is particularly concerning. The digital world my children are growing up in is vastly different from the one I experienced. It's crucial to ensure they have control over their digital footprint. Especially with the very fast evolution of AI, your pic and some audio and anyone can artificially replicate you and it is getting more and more difficult to know what is real and what is not!

Our posts are often not as private as we assume. I used to post random photos and updates, thinking my private account shielded me. But times have changed, and I've become more deliberate with my social media presence, especially after having children. Their digital safety has become a priority.

I've spent countless hours trying to safeguard my digital footprint and that of my family, especially the children who had no say in what was posted about them. This process has been more challenging than anticipated, and I believe major platforms should make it easier to secure our specifics in our profile.

While there's an option to shut down and restart your profile, I value the memories captured over the years. Thinking I had done a good job, I asked a friend to check my profile from their perspective. To my horror, photos I thought were deleted and posts I believed hidden were still accessible. These posts had hashtags and location tags that made them traceable.

Seeing photos of my niece as a toddler, now a young teenager, available online was unsettling. What was once a simple act of sharing has become a complex issue of privacy and control.

Lessons Learned

1.?????? Think Twice Before Posting: Always consider the long-term implications of your posts.

2.?????? Regularly Clean Up Your Account: Go through old posts and photos, and delete or archive anything you no longer want visible.

3.?????? Update Privacy Settings: Ensure your profiles privacy settings match your current preferences.

4.?????? Be Cautious with Hashtags and Locations: Avoid tagging specific locations and using identifiable hashtags that can trace back to you or your family.

Checklist to Clean Up and Manage Your Digital Footprint

1.?????? Audit Your Social Media Profiles:

o?? Review all posts, photos, and comments.

o?? Delete anything you don’t want to be public.

2.?????? Update Privacy Settings:

o?? Ensure your profiles are private.

o?? Limit who can see your posts and personal information.

3.?????? Use Strong, Unique Passwords:

o?? Change passwords regularly.

o?? Enable two-factor authentication.

4.?????? Be Mindful of Sharing Information:

o?? Avoid sharing personal details like addresses, phone numbers, or daily routines.

5.?????? Monitor Your Children’s Online Presence:

o?? Set up parental controls.

o?? Educate them about online safety and privacy.

6.?????? Regularly Google Yourself:

o?? See what information is publicly accessible about you.

o?? Take steps to remove any unwanted content.

Understanding your digital footprint is crucial in today’s digital age. Protecting your online presence and that of your children ensures that private moments remain private and that you maintain control over your digital narrative. Take these steps today to secure your online world.