digital footprint

[dij-i-tl foot-print]

noun

1. one's unique set of digital activities, actions, and communications that leave a data trace on the internet or on a computer or other digital device and can identify the particular user or device.

   Our online browsing habits are part of our passive digital footprint, created without our consent or knowledge, but our active digital footprint, especially on social media, can more easily be managed.

2. one’s overall impact, impression, or effect as manifested on the internet; online presence or visibility, as of a person or company.

   a celebrity with a large digital footprint;

   ways to expand your brand’s digital footprint.

Word History and Origins

Origin of digital footprint¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

And because most journalists don’t have the privilege of having their work read without a digital footprint, they’re often required to post about losing their jobs online, if only to attract potential new employers and curious editors.

Read more on Salon

That digital footprint led me to multiple locations in Nigeria, most frequently its most-populated city, Lagos, where I hoped to discover who was responsible.

Read more on BBC

Now, thieves can pretend to be nearly anyone with a large enough digital footprint, including celebrities whose voices and likeness are widely accessible.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But despite this, Barclay had left a sizeable digital footprint - using his bank card to order items online and leaving hundreds of reviews on Google Maps.

Read more on BBC

Gus Hosein, executive director at charity Privacy International, recommends several ways to reduce your digital footprint.

Read more on BBC