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WHAT IS A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT?
Active footprint: Anything your child types, posts, shares, or uploads: TikTok videos, Instagram comments, tweets, status updates.
Passive footprint: Data collected without direct input: websites they visit, ads that pop up, search history, location check-ins.
Both sides add up. A single meme share seems harmless, but months or years down the line those likes and comments can tell a story, good or bad. We’ve all heard stories of something posted years ago coming back to haunt someone in the present day, like the ghost of Christmas past.
WHY IT MATTERS
First impressions stick. College admissions officers, scholarship judges, and even future employers often Google applicants. Unfiltered party photos, sarcastic rants or ill-chosen memes can leave an impression that’s hard to reverse. Privacy isn’t guaranteed: once something’s online, it can be copied, reshared, archived. Deleted posts can live on in screenshots or on backup servers. Commercial sites and social platforms build detailed profiles based on browsing behavior, so your teenager might start seeing ads for topics they only glanced at once and that data could leak in a breach.
TALK ABOUT IT EARLY
Don’t wait until high school graduation to have “the digital-footprint talk.” Kids as young as ten are active on apps and games that collect personal data. Start with simple ideas: nothing really disappears, so even “temporary” posts can return; pause before sharing and imagine grandparents, teachers or future bosses seeing it; and remind them that their online trail is part of their story, which they can shape through good choices, positive posts, and helpful comments.
SET UP PRACTICAL PROTECTIONS
Here are some suggestions for parents looking to set up protections for their child’s online presence.
- Review privacy settings on each social platform: make profiles private, limit tagging, block unwanted followers. The key here is to do it together, with your child.
- Use a shared family email for app sign ups so you receive breach notices or policy change alerts.
- Enable two-factor authentication on important accounts to keep hackers (or pranksters) out. This makes a significant difference in keeping the unwanted people out, especially for middle school age children.
- Install a tracking blocker. Browser extensions like uBlock Origin or a privacy-focused browser like Duck Duck Go to cut down on passive data collection.
TURN IT INTO A TEACHABLE MOMENT
Kids learn best by doing. Try a “digital footprint scavenger hunt”: have them Google themselves, list the top five results, and discuss whether any old school project photos or forum comments should stay visible. In a “screenshot audit,” scroll through their feed, pick one post to keep public and one to delete, and talk through the reasons. For older teens, make a game out of spotting privacy terms in an app’s policy…things like why collect location data, how long are messages stored, who can see shared information?
Your own habits set a powerful example. Mention when you adjust settings after an app update, explain why you hesitate before hitting “Share” on a news article, or show how a password manager works. Modeling these routines normalizes concern for online reputation and data security.
WHEN MISTAKES HAPPEN
Everyone slips up. If your teen posts something they regret (and you know they will), stay calm and avoid getting too upset. Guide them through deleting the post, untagging friends and requesting removals on platforms or from search engines. Frame it as a lesson: ask what they learned and how they’ll handle a similar situation next time.
BUILDING A POSITIVE FOOTPRINT
Digital footprints aren’t just warnings, they’re opportunities. Encourage your child to showcase passions by setting up an Instagram portfolio or a blog, join positive communities (book clubs, coding groups, environmental forums) to highlight strengths, and share helpful content. Things like tutorials, reviews or study tips demonstrate thoughtfulness and skill. Over time, these posts become a body of work that can open doors in college or future careers.
YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT
You don’t need a tech degree to guide your child. Keep this checklist in mind:
- Chat about online habits during family dinners or car rides. Make it a casual check in, not a lecture.
- Stay curious: ask what new app or game they’re excited about, then research it together.
- Let them lead: coach them as they set their own privacy rules.
- Revisit every year or so. Technologies and policies change, so schedule a “footprint check” in the same way you would an eye appointment.
By weaving these conversations and habits into everyday life, you’ll help your child build an online presence that’s safe, positive and truly reflective of who they are. What starts as mindful clicks today can become tomorrow’s impressive portfolio.
Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his twenty-year career in public education. Currently, Mike is the Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Technology, and Communications for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. As an IT director he has developed creative, well thought out solutions that positively impact teaching and learning.