Middle School · Digital Citizenship · Unit 1
Your Digital Footprint
Every post, search and click leaves a trail. You can't stop making one, but you can choose what it says about you.
Walk across a beach and you leave footprints. Waves wash them away by evening. Walk across the internet and you leave footprints too. Those ones don't always wash away.
On this page you'll learn what a digital footprint is, the two kinds of tracks you leave, why online stuff can stick around, and simple habits that keep yours safe. Then you can play a sorting game and take a self-guided quiz.
On this page
- 1. The ideaWhat's a digital footprint?
- 2. Two kindsActive vs. passive
- 3. Staying powerWhy it lasts
- 4. AudienceWho might see it?
- 5. HabitsProtect your footprint
- 6. Before you postThe THINK test
- 7. PlayFootprint Sorter
- 8. Test yourselfSelf-guided quiz
What's a digital footprint?
Your digital footprint is the trail of information about you that exists online. It includes things you post, and things websites and apps record about what you do.
Almost everyone your age is building one. In a 2024 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, 96% said they use the internet every day, and nearly half said they're online "almost constantly."
A footprint isn't good or bad by itself. A science fair video, a kind comment or a great piece of art can be part of it too. The goal is to make yours one you're proud of.
Two kinds of tracks: active and passive
Active footprint
Things you share on purpose.
- Posts, photos and videos
- Comments and reviews
- Messages and usernames
- Forms you fill out
Passive footprint
Data collected about you, often without you noticing.
- Location history from your phone
- What you search, watch or click
- Cookies: small files a website saves in your browser so it can remember you
- How long you play a game
Did you know? When you scroll past a video without liking it, the app may still note how long you watched. Even "doing nothing" can add to your passive footprint.
Why online stuff can last
Deleting a post removes your copy. It doesn't always remove every copy.
- Screenshots. Anyone who saw it could have saved a picture of it.
- Shares and reposts. Copies can spread to people you've never met.
- Archives. Services like the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine save copies of public web pages over time.
- Company records. Apps may keep data on their servers for a while, depending on their privacy policy.
So a good rule is: post as if it could be permanent, even on apps where messages "disappear."
Who might see it?
Your audience is often bigger than you picture. Friends, classmates, family, teachers and coaches may see what you share. Later, some schools, scholarship programs and employers look people up online.
That can work in your favor. A footprint that shows your hobbies, your kindness and your skills can help people see the real you.
Protect your footprint: five habits
1. Keep personal info private
Don't post your home address, phone number, school schedule or passwords. Watch photos too: a house number or school logo can give away where you are.
2. Check privacy settings
Many apps let you choose who sees your posts. "Friends only" is a smaller audience than "public." Check settings again after app updates.
3. Use strong, unique passwords
CISA, the U.S. cybersecurity agency, says to make passwords at least 16 characters long, and to use a different one for each account. A password manager (an app that creates and remembers strong passwords for you) makes that easier. Ask a parent before you set one up. Turn on two-step login (also called multi-factor authentication) when you can.
4. Respect age rules
Many apps say users must be at least 13. That's largely because of a U.S. law, COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act), which limits how sites collect data from kids under 13 without a parent's consent.
5. Ask before you post others
Their footprint matters too. Ask friends before posting photos of them. If someone posts something of you that you don't like, ask them privately to take it down, and tell a trusted adult if they won't.
If something goes wrong, like a scary message, a hacked account or a post that's being used to hurt someone, you don't have to fix it alone. Tell a parent, teacher or school counselor, and use the app's report and block tools.
Before you post: the THINK test
Many teachers use the word THINK as a quick check. Before you post or comment, ask:
- T: Is it true?
- H: Is it helpful?
- I: Is it inspiring?
- N: Is it necessary?
- K: Is it kind?
Not every post has to pass all five. A funny photo of your dog doesn't need to be "necessary." But if a post fails "true" or "kind," that's a good sign to stop.
Try the interactive version at jugami.com/digital-citizenship/digital-footprint/
Footprint Sorter
Tap or click Active or Passive for each item. About 2 minutes.
Try the self-guided quiz at jugami.com/digital-citizenship/digital-footprint/
Self-guided quiz
Talk about it
- If someone searched your name in five years, what would you hope they find?
- Is it fair for apps to collect passive data in exchange for being free? Why or why not?
- Should friends always ask before posting a photo of you? Are there exceptions?
Sources
- Pew Research Center, "Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024" (Dec. 12, 2024): daily internet use and "almost constantly" figures.
- Federal Trade Commission, "Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions".
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), "Use Strong Passwords" and "Turn On MFA".
- Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
- Common Sense Education, Digital Citizenship Curriculum.
Credits: all illustrations on this page are original SVG art made for Jugami.