Chapter 14

1 Chapter 14 Digital Trails:What You Leave BehindOverviewTo post or not to post? That is the question. In this Chapter , youwill learn about digital trails information about yourself thatthe online world can see and come to understand that everyaction you make online contributes to your trail. Included is adiscussion of ways to lessen your digital trail, control what ison it, and manage it so that it has only positive effects on youreducation, your future career, and your Terms Digital footprint Digital trail Data brokers Invisible audienceInternet addressCookieOversharingAppropriate sharingChapter 14: Digital Trails: What You Leave Behind 187emailDigital Trailsforum/-postWhen Internet use became widespread in the mid-1990s,many people thought that the actions they took online wereanonymous and untraceable.

2 Today, we know that Isn't step we take on the Web leaves a digital footprint, orinformation about ourselves that the online world can footprints are also known as a digital about what happens when you go hiking in the boots leave impressions in the dirt. As you walk, you mayaccidentally drop something or step on plants. All these thingsleave a trail that could be followed by someone who knows howto same thing happens with the actions you take whileonline: They leave a digital trail that can be followed. Some ofyour actions can be easily tracked by just about anyone whogoes online. Other actions can be tracked by people who areexperienced in tracking, such as data brokers (companiesthat collect and sell data about consumers), marketers, andadvertisers.

3 And still other actions can be tracked only bypeople with certain levels of authority, such as lawenforcement Invisible AudienceIt's important to remember that just about any action you takeonline might be viewed by an invisible audience, a group ofpeople that you are not aware of and that you never expectedto notice or care about your online actions. The invisibleaudience ranges in size, and it includes marketers, advertisers,data brokers, and friends of friends on social media you post content on sites where all content is public, such asYouTube, your invisible audience could number in the * *v> T* * Follow the trail: Each step we take on the Webleaves a digital footprint, or information aboutourselves that the online world can LiteracyFollow the TrailA digital trail is made up of any action you take online.

4 It caneven include actions that other people take online, if theyconcern you. Some actions that make up a person's digitaltrail are listed below: Sending emails and email attachments Registering on a forum or any website Posting on social media accounts and uploading photosand videos Being mentioned or tagged in other people's posts,photos, or videos Visiting websites Sending texts Using store rewards cards Using GPS Carrying a mobile device that has wireless capabilityand is turned onFor instance, if you use an email service provider, it knowsthe information you used to sign up for your email account,including your full name and street address.

5 It also knows yourInternet address (a number assigned to your computer ormobile device that allows it to participate in a network), as wellas your contact list. Your Internet service provider also knowsthis HistoryWhen you use a search engine to look for information, youtype in keywords. The next time you start to type in a search,old searches might pop can be a useful feature, butanyone using your device can see what you've searched forrecently. Similarly, Web browsers store user history. Again, thiscan be helpful, especially if you've forgotten a website , anyone using your device can easily see what websitesyou've visited. You can counter these threats to privacy byclearing your browser history.

6 (The method of doing this varies,depending on the computer or mobile device you are using.)A digital trail is madeup of any action youtake !'% *buyingsellingtLGPSC hapter 14; Digital Trails: What You Leave Behind189 How Cookies WorkYou do anonline searchfor search brings upa link to click the linkand visit the you visit a website, you leave information on your digitaltrail. A cookie, or small file that identifies you as a unique user ofa website, is downloaded to your next time youreturn to the site, the cookie allows the site to identify you asa user who has been there before. Cookies, which can containaccount names and passwords, can make browsing the Webeasier and faster, because they allow websites to "remember"you and the actions you took last time you were on the , hackers can use the cookies stored on your device togain information about you, and the cookies make it easier forcompanies to sell you products.

7 On many websites, marketingand advertising firms have access to the information collectedby cookies, or they have their own cookies embedded on thesite. They use the cookies to track what you view online so theycan tailor advertisements to your interests and better persuadeyou to buy something. For instance, if you click on a websitethat contains information about party planning, you mightbegin to see ads for balloon bouquets, bakeries, and other partysupply businesses. The companies don't necessarily know yourname, but they know you by your cookies. If you don't like beingtracked in this way, you can clear the cookies from your device.(Again, the method of doing this varies from device to device.)

8 Rewards CardsSimilarly, if you use a store rewards card at your local grocerystore, the purchases you make are tracked, and the store sharesthat information with marketers. These companies send youcoupons and other offers. Some people like these offers. Othersfeel they violate their privacy, and they often decide not to userewards youland on the site, acookie is immediatelydownloaded fromthe site to Cyber LiteracySocial MediaOn social media sites, anything you post, or that someoneposts about you, is part of your digital trail. You might thinkthat information can be deleted from the Web, but someoneelse may have already downloaded it and saved it to his or herown computer.

9 For instance, friends can share the photos youpost with others even people you don't know making yourinvisible audience much larger than you social networking sites allow marketers to gatherinformation about their users, although some sites say theypresent the information in a way that cannot be linked tothe user's information includes posts, photos,videos, or websites or articles that you have "liked" or "shared."Marketers then use this information to show you targeted TechnologyIf you carry a mobile device, you leave a literal digital trail. Yourlocation can be tracked through GPS or through your wirelesssignal. (Wireless technology allows devices to connect wirelesslyto the Internet.)

10 You can counter this by turning off your mobiledevice and by turning off the wireless technology when you'renot using enforcement officials (and in some cases, privateinvestigators and attorneys) can follow your digital trail fairlyclosely. With a subpoena, or written order usually made by acourt, police officers can access a list of the phone numbers youcalled on your mobile device (and which numbers called you);where you were on a certain date (from location tracking viayour mobile device); the Internet address of your computer; andthe websites you have your next visit,you see "Welcome Back"and are first shown onlyred or white sneakers. Thesite is using the informationstored in the cookie that wascreated during your ,the cookie remainson you clickthrough varioussneakers, more andmore information isstored to the cookie,tracking what youare clicking search historywhitesneakersChapter 14: Digital Trails: What You Leave Behind 191 Fact!