#digitalfootprint

The Invisible Identity You Leave Online

“What if every click you made, every post you shared, and every search you typed became a permanent part of your identity? In the digital world, nothing truly disappears. Your digital footprint follows you everywhere.”

Each and every click, like, search, share, or comment that you perform creates an impression. No matter how much you may think that there is nobody watching you, the internet stores much more than what you might think. Every reel that you browse through during the midnight hours and every website that you visit during the daytime forms a part of your life that goes unnoticed. This unseen profile is called your digital footprint, and it plays an important role in today’s world.

Digital footprints, also called digital shadows or electronic footprints, refer to the trail of information that you leave behind while using the internet. Digital footprints include many things such as the information you submit online, the websites you visit, emails you send, posts on social media, and online shopping activities.

A digital footprint is often used to track a person’s online activities as well as the devices they use. An internet user can create their digital footprint either actively or passively.

Active digital footprints are created when users knowingly share information about themselves. These are created through posting or participating on social networking sites or online forums. If a user is logged into a website through a registered username or profile, any posts they make form part of their active digital footprint.

On the other hand, passive digital footprints are created when information about the user is collected without them being aware that it is happening. This is done in various ways, such as websites collecting information about how many times users visit, where they come from, and their IP address. This is a hidden process that users may not realize is taking place. Other examples of passive footprints include social networking sites and advertisers using your likes, shares, and comments to profile you and target you with specific content.

Digital footprints matter because they are relatively permanent. Once data is public, or even semi-public (as may be the case with Facebook posts), the owner has little control over how others will use it. A digital footprint has the power to determine a person’s digital reputation, which is now considered as important as their offline reputation.

Words and photos that you post online can be misinterpreted or altered, causing unintentional offense. Cybercriminals can exploit your digital footprint and use it for purposes such as phishing for account access or creating false identities based on your data.

For these reasons, it is worth considering what your digital footprint says about you. Many people try to manage their digital footprint by being cautious about their online activities in order to control the data that can be gathered in the first place.

Digital footprints are a huge part of everyday life today. Students, professionals, influencers, businesses, and even children are building digital footprints every day. Even merely searching for a product online can affect the ads you see on Instagram, YouTube, or Google later. Companies often gather user data to learn how consumers behave and enhance their marketing tactics. Whilst this can make online experiences more personalised, it also raises serious concerns around privacy and data security.

The digital footprint of an individual might also influence their future prospects. Companies and institutions usually conduct background checks on candidates through online searches. Content posted years ago, such as offensive messages, inappropriate pictures, and controversial viewpoints, might come back to haunt a person. Many individuals have lost jobs and internship opportunities, as well as their reputation, owing to content they had assumed would eventually be forgotten.

On the other hand, digital footprints are not necessarily negative in nature. A good digital footprint may actually help individuals develop their personal brands and professional identities. For instance, posting accomplishments, artistic works, academic materials, and professional stories on digital platforms can result in building an excellent and positive reputation for oneself. The use of LinkedIn accounts, portfolios, blogging, and appropriate social media usage can do wonders for students and professionals.

Nevertheless, controlling one’s digital footprint is something that requires knowledge and a sense of responsibility. For instance, many people sign up on websites and install applications without even bothering to read the terms and conditions, thus unintentionally allowing those programs to use their private data, which includes location, contacts, browsing history, and personal preferences. Apps and websites that provide services free of charge tend to collect user data.

The following are some of the measures that an individual can take to safeguard his/her digital footprint. The first one entails being cautious about what one posts on the internet. Individuals need to refrain from posting personal information such as passwords, phone numbers, addresses, and bank account details on the internet. Other tips include the use of two-factor authentication and deleting browser cookies.

Another effective technique is to periodically search for yourself on the internet in order to find out what kind of information is accessible about you. This will help individuals become more conscious about their online identity and do something about it if needed. It also helps if individuals restrict access permissions and avoid clicking on dubious links or websites.

The problem with modern times is the fact that technology changes quicker than people understand the importance of privacy and security in cyberspace. The majority of people, particularly younger generations, spend hours on the internet daily without realizing how much personal information is collected during their activity. Social networking sites, video games, commercial websites, and mobile applications collect user data all the time in order to increase their profitability and attractiveness. In this regard, people get included in large databases without even knowing it.

It is thus very crucial to be digitally literate and aware in today’s society. Schools, universities, and parents need to teach individuals how to use the internet responsibly and the significance of safeguarding their personal data online. It is through knowing terms such as cyber safety, privacy settings, online scams, and digital footprints that individuals will be able to make better choices while using the internet.

In the end, the internet can be a very useful tool if we know how to use it correctly. We are all responsible for ourselves and what we do on the internet. Our digital footprint can represent our creativity, intelligence, and professionalism, but it can also bring trouble if we are not careful enough. Since our digital footprint becomes an inseparable part of us, we have no choice but to manage it carefully.

Terinspirasi dari podcastnya bang @iqbalhape (penulis: @academicus). Subjective-5 Checklist Penting untuk Menutup Akhir Tahun yang saya dengerin pas diperjalanan sepulang dari kampus sekitar tiga bulan yang lalu. 5-Checklist penting untuk menutup akhir tahun versi nya bang iqbal ini bagus banget dan saya juga ngerasa kalo ini penting buat dilakukan. Meskipun kalo muslim timeline nya itu adalah tahun hijriah, tapi ambil hikmahnya aja. Jadi 5 checklist ini isinya adalah:

Buat evaluasi performance maksimal dibulan ketiga sebelum akhir tahun

Cek progress resolusi tahun ini

Cek apa yang perlu di stop/start/continue

Cek kebiasaan selama setahun terakhir

Cek jaringan dan orang-orang yang sering kita habiskan waktu bersama

Cek digital footprint

Loh kok ada enam? Aku juga baru nyadar, tapi dijudulnya 5-checklist kok bener, saya gak mau rubah judul podcastnya. Dari ke enam poin diatas, menurut saya core value nya ada di poin tiga, yaitu cek apa yang perlu di stop/start/continue. Menurut saya ini bisa ngecover poin sisanya.

STOP

First STOP, evaluasi apa aja kebiasaan buruk yang harus stop karena banyak mudhorotnya ketimbang manfaatnya. Kebiasaan itu cakupannya luas kebiasan bangun tidur, kebiasaan tidur, kebiasaan mandi, baca, bergaul, update status, cara menyampaikan sesuatu, cara jalan, dan lain sebagainya, menurut saya semua hal yang bentuknya kebiasaan harus di evaluasi. Jika itu cenderung menuju keburuk itu harus distop.

Setelah evaluasi diri sendiri coba evalusi juga lingkungan disekitar, cek network kita. Evaluasi orang-orang yang sering kita habiskan waktu dengannya. Apakah dengan orang-orang tersebut membawa dampak baik atau malah membuat kita mengarah ke buruk, kalo kita malah kebawa jadi buruk itu juga harus distop.

Itu di dunia nyata, cek juga network di social media “digital footprint”. Siapa orang-orang yang kita follow apa manfaat atau keburukan yang kita dapet dari follow akun itu. Kalo bawa hal yang buruk itu harus di unfollow. Cek juga feed & Story nya apakah kita bawa pengaruh positif atau negative buat followers kita. Followers juga amanah, mereka mengkosumsi sesuatu yang kita produksi. Apa yang kita sebarkan ke orang juga perlu di evaluasi. Karena setiap byte kuota yang habis akan dihisab. Allahu’alam ya silahkan tanya ke ustad detail terkait ini, ampuni saya ya Allah jika salah, masih kurang ilmu.

Nah saya agak kesulitan buat melakukan track digital footprint saya, karena saya sangat jarang posting di social media. Tahun 2018 saya cuma post tiga postingan di instagram & facebook. Apalagi tahun-tahun sebelumnya hanya ada satu atau dua postingan aja. Apa yang bisa di evaluasi kalo datanya kurang? Apakah harus stop posting sama sekali? Haha.

CONTINUE

Next CONTINUE, ini step untuk ngelajutin dan ningkatin kualitas dan frekuensi semua kebiasaan-kebiasan baik yang udah dijalani. Kalo kata bukunya ustadz Felix “How to Master Your Habits”, supaya bisa konsisten dengan habits yang baik, minimal perlu 30 hari supaya bisa istiqomah.

Buku itu juga ngejelasin gimana terbentuknya “muscle memory”, dimana anggota tubuh kita punya muscle memori yang bisa dilatih melakukan sesuatu tanpa disadari. Defaultnya manusia punya otot sadar dan otot tak sadar. Sebenernya ada satu lagi yang bisa kita latih yang tadinya otot sadar jadi tak sadar yang bermanfaat.

Sederhananya gini, pernah gak kita ngerasa capek gara-gara mata kita gak berhenti berkedip? Atau karena jantung kita terus-terusan berdetak? Atau paru-paru yang menarik dan mengeluarkan udara? Saya yakin gak pernah, itu yang namanya otot tak sadar. Beda dengan misalanya dengan jalan kaki atau lari pas olahraga, normalnya kita akan ngerasa capek dan keringetan setelah olahraga, satu yang ini disebut otot sadar.

Ada satu lagi yang bisa kita latih melalui habit, misalnya seseorang yang terbiasa naik lift akan sangat kelelahan saat dia harus naik turun tangga dari lantai 5 sebuah gedung. Berbeda dengan orang yang sudah terbiasa naik tangga, rasa lelahnya pasti jauh lebih sedikit karena dia sudah punya yang dinamakan “muscle memory”. Contoh realnya yang kerasa itu puasa ramadhan, saya yakin hari ke-10 puasa itu jauh lebih ringan dari pada puasa hari ke-1. Intinya kita akan lebih merasa ringan melakukan kebaikan-kebaikan kalo kebaikan itu udah jadi habits yang dilakukan oleh otot yang sadar yang sudah dilatih jadi semi tidak sadar, yang melekat di tubuh kita.

Bakal seneng pisan kalo misalnya badan kita otomatis kebangun dan ambil air wudhu, lalu sholat disetiap sepertiga malam. Udah gak kerasa laper lagi setiap siang hari senin dan kamis. Mata udah gak ngantuk lagi buat menghabiskan waktu baca berlembar-lembar mushaf Al-Qur’an. Intinya yuk lanjutin usaha-usaha kita berbuat baik sampai menjadi habits.

START

Terakhir START, mulai kegiatan yang sebelumnya belum dilakukan dan perlu dilakukan. Setelah kita evaluasi sesuatu yang harus distop, perlu kita merancang kegiatan yang harus kita mulai. Misalnya saya tahun lalu gak pernah nulis apa yang saya dengar, baca, dan rasa akibatnya saya lupa dan susah kalo mau dievaluasi. Meskipun saya yakin kalo saya banyak berubah dari tahun ke tahun. Tapi lebih enak kalo ada bukti konkretnya. Coba cek di postingan #review1 tentang problem solving skill, biar kegambar gimana caranya membuat kegiatan baru sebagai solusi yang akan kita mulai berdasarkan akar masalahnya.

InsyaAllah tahun ini saya akan mulai kebiasaan baru menulis, supaya gak cepet lupa, menajamkan akal, dan mempermudah muhasabah. Ya Allah bantu hamba untuk istiqomah.

Aksi nyatanya, saya udah tulis tiga (sama ini) postingan di tumblr baru ini “hudstuff” semoga ada manfaat yang bisa saya dan pembaca yang bisa ambil dari saya yang mencoba belajar menulis, tolong bimbing hamba ya Allah. Seperti deskripsinya read, listen, feel + review, oke saya akan coba lakukan itu dulu.

Oh ya nama “hudstuff” juga perlu filosofi, biar ada track yang jelas karena saya juga gak mau kalo saya nulis cuma buat curhat doang. Jadi terinspirasi dari kisah burung hud di lecture nya ustadz Nouman, yang judulnya Belajar Rendah Hati.

“Dan dia memeriksa burung-burung itu lalu berkata: “Mengapa aku tidak melihat hud-hud apakah ia termasuk orang yang tidak hadir?” (QS.27:20)

Jadi kisahnya suatu saat Nabi Sulaiman mengumpulkan semua pasukannya dan beliau gak melihat hud-hud. Masyaallah keren ya, padahal cuma satu burung doang yang gak hadir diantara sebegitu banyak pasukannya Nabi Sulaiman dari golongan manusia, jin, dan binatang. Tapi karena beliau pemimpin, beliau tetap bertanggung jawab atas segala sesuatu yang beliau pimpin. Padahal kalo kuliah yang mahasiswanya kurang dari seratus orang, masih aja bisa titip absen tanpa dosennya tau. Hikmah lainnya adalah tentang kedisiplinan, kalo kita perhatikan sepintas kemana ya hud-hud kok bisa sampai telat kumpul.

“Tidak ada organisasi yang lebih kuat dari militer, maka kita perlu memiliki cara mendisiplinkan pegawai seperti dalam militer.” –Nouman Ali Khan

Kedisiplinan militer harus sangat kuat, karena kalo sudah sampai di medan perang terus satu prajurit telat dua detik aja nyawa bisa melayang dan itu bisa menyebabkan kekalahan dalam perang. That’s why Nabi Sulaiman marah.

“Pasti akan kuhukum ia hukuman yang berat atau kusembelih ia, atau dia datang padaku dengan alasan yang jelas.” (QS.27:21)

Dan tiba-tiba hud hud pun datang.

“Aku telah mengetahui sesuatu yang belum engkau ketahui.” (QS. 27:22)

Jadi hud hud itu telat karena dia membawa suatu informasi penting yang bermanfaat untuk Nabi Sulaiman (read:Islam). Setelah hud hud datang, hud hud menjelaskan alasan dia bisa sampai terlambat, yaitu karena mencari informasi. Karena itu hud hud tidak jadi mendapatkan hukuman dari Nabi Sulaiman. Karena keterlambatannya memiliki alasan yang penting.

Dari cerita itu saya sadar jika saya masih termasuk orang-orang yang terlambat dan pantas dihukum. Banyak perintahNya yang belum saya kerjakan atau ada perintahNya yang saya kerjakan namun masih penuh dengan kecacatan. Tapi semoga dengan keterlambatan itu saya bisa membawa sesuatu untuk kemajuan Islam. Jika hud hud seekor burung aja bisa berkontribusi memberikan informasi yang penting dan bermanfaat, kenapa saya tidak bisa plok,plok,plok. Semoga dengan blog ini saya bisa menjadi hud hud untuk kemajuan Islam. Aamiin.

With so much information available online, managing your digital footprint seems more important than ever.

What are the first things someone should do if they want to reduce unwanted search results or outdated information associated with their name?

Some suggestions I've seen include:

Reviewing old profiles

Updating professional information

Creating positive content

Monitoring search results regularly

Entire friendships now happen inside messaging threads, meme folders, and private servers. Millions of inside jokes and late-night rants live purely on hardware owned by giant tech corporations. So what actually happens to all that data when a person passes away?

The reality is pretty grim. A person's digital life suddenly enters a massive legal gray area. Big tech companies always put their own privacy policies ahead of family sentiment. Because of this, grieving relatives usually find themselves completely locked out of those final conversations. The exact outcome really depends on the platform itself.

The Discord Deletion Protocol Massive gaming communities and small friend groups practically live on Discord. Yet, the company takes a remarkably cold approach to inactive accounts. They offer zero tools for memorializing a profile. Customer service will never hand over chat logs or transfer account ownership to a relative just for sentimental reasons. If a family actually sends in a death certificate, Discord simply permanently deletes the profile. If no one tells them, the system just waits two years before wiping the account anyway. Plus, if that person happened to run a private server, the whole community might eventually break down without an active owner.

The WhatsApp Countdown WhatsApp handles things a bit differently since text logs save directly to physical phones instead of a central cloud. Still, the actual profile has an expiration date. To save server space, the app automatically deletes accounts that sit inactive for 120 days. Surviving friends get to keep the old text threads saved on their personal devices. However, the actual profile of the person who passed away will just silently vanish from the network forever.

The Legacy Giants Bigger names like Facebook, Google, and Apple actually built specific tools for this exact problem. They use features like Legacy Contacts or Inactive Account Managers. These settings let users pick a trusted friend to handle specific files or memorialize a profile after a tragedy. There is just one massive catch. People have to set this up while they are still alive. If someone never bothered to officially name a legacy contact, their family will likely spend months fighting through automated help desks and legal red tape just to close the page.

The Solution: Securing a Digital Legacy

Crossing fingers and hoping tech corporations do the right thing is a terrible plan. Standard terms of service agreements basically say people do not even own their own profiles. Because of this legal loophole, families possess zero rights to inherit a social media page unless very specific instructions exist beforehand.

Every internet user needs a clear plan for their digital footprint. People need to write down exactly what should happen to their accounts and pick someone to execute those wishes. Leaving those details in a random notebook will not cut it. This is exactly why specialized tools like InsureYouKnow exist. Operating as an encrypted electronic safe deposit box, the platform lets people securely lock away their digital death directives alongside normal legal paperwork. Chosen beneficiaries then get access to those exact instructions without battling a customer support bot while grieving.