Managing your Digital Footprint
May 22, 2025
Privacy Plus+
Privacy, Technology and Perspective
This week, we're highlighting an essential resource from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) – its recently updated guide on "How to Manage Your Digital Footprint" provides both practical guidance on managing what information is available about you online and concrete steps to minimize your exposure.
Why Managing Your Digital Footprint Matters
We have written before about “Why You Should Care about Privacy,” and you can read our thoughts by clicking on the following link:
https://www.hoschmorris.com/privacy-plus-news/privacy-plus-june-22-2019
At the core of online privacy is your digital footprint – information you've shared online (social media posts, comments, reviews) and data collected and sold by data brokers (addresses, phone numbers, family details). While individual pieces of this information might seem harmless in isolation, together they create a comprehensive picture that can be exploited. The EFF guide highlights several key risks of an unmanaged digital footprint, including doxxing, phishing, stalking, identity theft, and fraud.
Key Tips for Managing Your Digital Footprint
The EFF’s guide provides a structured approach to taking control of your online presence. Here's a summary of their recommended steps:
+ Establish a strong security baseline
- Use unique passwords for all accounts
- Implement a password manager to keep track of credentials
- Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible
- Install tracking blockers like Privacy Badger
- Disable advertising ID on your mobile devices
+ "Doxx yourself" proactively
- Search your name, nickname, handle, and personal details in a private browsing window
- Use search operators for deeper investigation (see Reporters Without Borders' guide)
- Consider using OSINT Framework for comprehensive searches
- Document what information you find and prioritize what needs addressing
- Consider involving trusted friends to help find information you might miss
+ Minimize publicly available data
- Identify your information on "people search" sites
- Request removal from data brokers (see Yael Grauer's data broker opt-out list)
- Consider professional services like EasyOptOuts or Optery for ongoing protection
- Look into address confidentiality programs ("Safe at Home") in your state
+ Audit your social media presence
- List all your social media and forum accounts
- Review privacy settings on each platform
- Consider making personal accounts private
- Adjust settings based on your specific communication needs
+ Control your presence in search results
- Use Google's "Results about you" tool to monitor new information
- Request the removal of personal information from Google Search results
- Remember this only affects Google, not the original hosting websites
You can consult the EFF’s guide directly by clicking on the following link:
https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-manage-your-digital-footprint
Our Thoughts
As privacy lawyers, we recognize that the approach to digital privacy management needs to be personalized based on individual risk factors and needs. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, but the EFF's guide provides an excellent foundation for anyone looking to take control of their online presence.
We encourage everyone to fortify their security baseline at minimum. If you don’t know where to start, look hard above at the first bullet point, then implement a password manager and two-factor authenticator app. Wired Magazine and Wirecutter by the New York Times are reliable resources for identifying the most reputable providers of password managers and two-factor authentication apps. They also provide guides for configuring the privacy settings on your mobile devices.
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Hosch & Morris, PLLC is a boutique law firm dedicated to data privacy and protection, cybersecurity, the Internet and technology. Open the Future℠.