How do you clean up your digital footprint?
To clean up your digital footprint, first search your own name to see what others see. Keep posts you're proud of, archive old or awkward ones, and delete anything that insults people or shares other people's private chats. Then check your privacy and tagging settings, and add positive traces like projects, sport or volunteering. Repeat every few months.
βΆ Try it
Why it matters
Colleges, employers and clubs sometimes look people up online. You learn to see your own posts through an outsider's eyes, tidy up your profile and build a positive digital footprint.
In 5 minutes you'll be able to
- Colleges, employers and clubs do look. Your profile is your business card.
- Archiving and deleting is easy today. Later it's much more of a hassle.
- Build positive traces instead of only hiding the bad stuff.
What you'll practise
Profile check before the interview
Priya has an interview for an apprenticeship next week. Help her tidy up her public profile.
- Video of her performance at the school concert β Keep
- Photo with her first aid course certificate β Keep
- Embarrassing but harmless selfie with braces from four years ago β Archive
- Rant about her old part-time job: "Boss is a total joke" β Delete
- Comment under a video where she insulted someone β Delete
- Party photo with lots of people, cup in hand β Archive
- Post about volunteering as a coach for a kids' football team β Keep
- Story with a screenshot from a private group chat β Delete
Myth check
What's really true about your online reputation?
Priya deletes an old post. Is it gone forever?
- Yes, deleted is deleted.
- Not necessarily. Other people might have saved it. (Answer)
What's the best way to a good online reputation?
- Post nothing at all, then there's nothing to find.
- Show what you're about on purpose, keep the rest private. (Answer)
- Get as many followers as possible.
When's the best time to tidy up your profile?
- The night before the interview.
- Now, and then regularly, like once a term. (Answer)
What you can do
In 15 minutes you can make your profile future-ready.
- π Search yourself
- Put your name into a search engine, also with your town or school. That way you see what others see.
- ποΈ Archive & visibility
- Archive old posts, check who can see your profile, and only allow tags after you approve them.
- π Leave good traces
- Show what you're proud of: projects, sport, music, volunteering.
Remember
Only post things you'd be proud of if someone found them.
Post things you'd be proud of if someone found them.
Key facts
- 67% of US college admissions officers say checking applicants' social media is fair game, though only 28% say they have actually done it. Β· Source: Kaplan, college admissions officers survey 2023 (published January 2024)
- Deleting a post removes it from your profile, but copies can survive as screenshots, reposts or archived pages. Deleting still helps, because it makes the post much harder to find.
- In the UK, you can ask a company to erase personal data you shared as a child, even after you turn 18, and the regulator says companies should agree whenever they can. Β· Source: ICO (UK Information Commissioner's Office), Children and the UK GDPR guidance
- A quick self-search is the best starting point: searching your name together with your town or school shows roughly what a stranger would find.
Updated:
Questions people ask
Do colleges and employers look at your social media?
Some do. Surveys of admissions officers and employers show many think it's fair to look, so it's worth checking what's public about you before you apply.
Should I delete or archive old posts?
Archive posts that are harmless but private, like old selfies or party photos. Delete anything that insults someone, trashes a school or employer, or shares other people's private messages.
Can you erase your digital footprint?
Not completely, because others may have saved or shared things. But you can delete and archive posts, tighten privacy settings, ask sites to remove your data and add positive posts so they shape what people find.
How often should I check my online reputation?
A quick check every few months, or once a term, is enough. Search your name, look at your public posts and tags, and check your privacy settings.
Related terms