What are examples of a digital footprint, and why do they matter?
Examples of a digital footprint are your posts, photos, comments, likes and the details hidden in them. Together they can reveal where you live, go to school or when you're home alone, and screenshots mean deleted posts can live on. Before posting, check photos for clues and ask: would I be okay with anyone seeing this?
▶ Try it
Why it matters
One photo can show where you live, which school you go to and when you're home alone. And once someone takes a screenshot, deleting the post doesn't make it vanish.
In 6 minutes you'll be able to
- Check photos for house numbers, street signs and school logos.
- Deleted doesn't mean gone. Screenshots stay.
- Always ask before posting photos of other people.
What you'll practise
Detective eye
Lily only wants to show off her new bike. But her post gives away more. Tap everything a stranger could use to find Lily.
- House number: The “12” on the door. Together with the street sign, anyone knows where Lily lives.
- Street sign: “Linden Road” gives away the street.
- School hoodie: “Oakfield School” shows where to find Lily every day.
- Post text: “Home alone till 6pm” tells everyone when nobody else is there.
How far does a post travel?
Lily posts a video of herself singing quite badly. “It's only for my friends”, she thinks.
- First, Lily's friends see it…
- They share it with their friends. Lily doesn't even know all of them.
- A few people take screenshots and screen recordings.
- And it gets forwarded to other groups and classes.
- The original is gone. But 6 screenshots are still around, and they can be sent on. Deleted doesn't mean gone.
The Grandma test
Before you post something, ask yourself: Would it be okay if your gran, your teacher and you in five years' time saw this?
- A drawing you did of your dog → Okay to post
- A funny photo of your friend asleep at a sleepover → Better not
- Story: “Home alone all weekend” → Better not
- Team photo from the football tournament. Everyone said yes. → Okay to post
- A meme about your teacher with her full name → Better not
- Your favourite book recommendation → Okay to post
- Screenshot of two people arguing in the class group chat → Better not
Remember
Deleted doesn't mean gone. Check for clues first, then ask: would Gran be okay seeing this?
Deleted doesn't mean gone.
Key facts
- Nearly half of US teens aged 13 to 17 (46%) say they are online almost constantly, up from 24% a decade earlier. · Source: Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024
- Under UK data protection law you can ask an organisation to erase your personal data, and the regulator says there is a particular emphasis on this right when the data was collected from a child. · Source: ICO (UK Information Commissioner's Office), Right to erasure guidance
- Anything that appears on a screen can be screenshotted or recorded, so deleting a post does not remove the copies other people have already saved.
- The background of a photo can give away more than the subject: house numbers, street signs, school uniforms and location tags can all show where someone lives or studies.
Updated:
Questions people ask
Can you delete your digital footprint?
Not completely. You can delete posts, untag photos, close old accounts and ask sites to erase your data, but screenshots and copies other people saved can stay around.
What is a passive digital footprint?
It's the data collected about you without you posting anything, such as your location, searches or what you watch. Apps and websites gather it in the background.
Why is a digital footprint important for kids?
What children post can reveal where they live or go to school, and it can resurface years later with teachers, friends or future employers. Learning to check before posting protects their safety and their reputation.
What is the Grandma test?
Before you post, ask whether it would be okay if your gran, your teacher and you in five years' time saw it. If the answer is no, don't post it.
Related terms