A digital footprint is the trail of data that is generated with every click or interaction online, from opening an email to browsing social media, including the websites we visit, our recurring interests, and the media outlets we read, as well as our destinations, habits, and purchases.
It is a technical and biometric trail that tracks everything and condenses part of a user's digital identity and activity into comprehensive data. It is permanent, traceable, and crucial for privacy and security.
All that information is compiled into an online repository of personal data. It can be active, meaning it is intentionally shared, or passive, which is when that data is collected without the user's knowledge. Most people leave an unintentional digital footprint: a passive footprint that is not based on any real intention to share the data generated through their daily browsing and private searches, whatever their interests.
According to the ENISA Threat Landscape 2024 Report, more than 80% of European users leave a digital footprint without realizing it. This footprint is built using various technical processes commonly employed in the operation of digital services, such as IP address logging, certain browsing data, and the use of techniques known as fingerprinting. These mechanisms allow systems to recognize the characteristics of the devices used to access them and are employed for various purposes, such as improving the digital experience, enhancing security, or analyzing web traffic.
Managing our digital footprint is also an opportunity to do our bit for environmental sustainability. By optimizing the trail of data we leave behind, we help reduce the demand for data centers, critical infrastructure that requires a constant energy supply. Ensuring we have a more efficient digital footprint protects our privacy and promotes a more responsible use of energy resources, driving more sustainable digitalization.
Legislation in cyberspace
In this context, the European Union is trying to take the initiative and stay one step ahead by strengthening privacy laws. Expanding the regulatory framework to preserve the privacy of digital footprints has become a key issue for Member States.
This tightening of the legislative framework is based on a three-tier legal structure that is already in place.
First of all, the ePrivacy Directive is the main tool for combating invisible tracking. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has updated its guidelines to ensure that Article 5.3 is strictly applied to new tracking technologies with mandatory consent and prohibiting unique identifiers that aim to configure hardware and software profiles without the use of cookies.
Secondly, the AI Act imposes limits on the collection of biometric data, which is the most sensitive type of information in terms of user privacy. In this regard, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) plays an active oversight role and already has the authority to impose sanctions on AI systems that violate privacy. And, finally, the EU has approved Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 on Digital Identity.
Digital footprints in the age of AI
AI is another disruptive force that has changed the playing field through digital technology. For example, there are tools that detect discrepancies between a candidate's resume, their digital footprint, and the job they are applying for, while other fintech companies (new finance-related technology applications) are experimenting with digital footprint analysis as a variable for calculating credit scores, a numerical rating that assesses the risk of default.
Google and other search engines have already incorporated signals based on user behavior, reputation, and online identity to determine their on-demand content. Through the Privacy Sandbox initiative, the tech giant, now part of the Alphabet Inc. parent holding company, is transitioning toward a model that does away with the well-known third-party cookies and bases its learning on interest groups known as cohorts. However, experts have already warned that digital footprints do not disappear, they simply transform.
In response to this, the European regulatory framework (GDPR) has strengthened the right to be forgotten. However, the technical reality is complex: removing a search engine result does not delete the data from the original server. Current trends in identity management suggest that digital footprints are now considered an asset.
Digital footprints are no longer just a byproduct of browsing; they are a reputational indicator and a search engine optimization (SEO) factor. In an environment where everything is amplified by AI, managing our digital identity is an essential skill for citizens, businesses, and government agencies alike.
