digital footprint

American  

[dij-i-tl foot-print] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪ tl ˈfʊtˌprɪnt /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of digital footprint

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

“We want to continue to grow that digital footprint,” he says, noting plans to launch a loyalty platform.

From The Wall Street Journal

"There is a digital footprint but it's not always straightforward. It can be quite difficult to unpick the data in order to try and identify who is behind it."

From BBC

“I know their digital footprint.”

From Salon

More than a decade later, due to Cuba’s only recent, and still extremely limited, internet access, these artists and their collaborations have a seemingly untraceable digital footprint.

From Los Angeles Times

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.

From Salon