EVEN WEBSITES, WE SEARCH ONLINE. WE’RE ALL LEAVING BEHIND A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT TO CREATE THAT DATA. PRETTY EASY TO ERASE. IT CAN BE REALLY TOUGH, AND THAT TRAIL OF DATA CAN BE USED AGAINST YOU. WESH TWO MEREDITH MCDONOUGH SHOWS US HOW WE CAN CLEAN UP OUR ONLINE FOOTPRINT AND THE THREE THINGS WE SHOULD NEVER LEAVE ONLINE. YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT. IT’S THE TRAIL WE LEAVE BEHIND ONLINE. FROM POSTS AND PURCHASES TO EMAILS WE SEND AND WEBSITES WE VISIT. I THINK WHEN WE SIGNED UP FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, WE WE ALL TOOK AN EXCHANGE. WE WE EXCHANGED OUR PRIVACY FOR THE COMFORT OF CONNECTION. IS THIS POSSIBLE IN TODAY’S DAY AND AGE TO EXTRACT YOURSELF ONLINE? JOSH HAMMONDS IS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AT ROLLINS COLLEGE. HE TEACHES HIS STUDENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF INTENTIONAL POSTING. AND SO WE’VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THAT I POSTED THAT. LET ME SEE IF I CAN DELETE THAT POST OR TAKE THAT DOWN. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, BUT YOU DON’T KNOW IF SOMEBODY’S NOT GOING TO SCREENSHOT THAT OR PUT THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND SO ANYTHING THAT YOU POST ON TWITTER OR ANY KIND OF FEED THAT YOU POST, THERE’S SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE CAPTURING THAT DIGITAL FOOTPRINT. ONE OF HIS UPPERCLASSMEN GETS THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. I THINK THAT WHEN YOU’RE POSTING YOURSELF NOWADAYS, YOU HAVE TO BE, LIKE, VERY CAUTIOUS BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT. EVERYBODY CAN LIKE, COMMENT, POST, SHARE. FOR THIS GENERATION, THEY ALSO HAVE TO REMIND THEIR PARENTS OF WHAT NOT TO POST. I DON’T REALLY WANT LIKE FUTURE EMPLOYERS, LIKE GOING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND THE POSTS THAT THEY SEE ARE FROM WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD. SO WHEN IT COMES TO DELETING YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT, CAN YOU REALLY DO IT? CAN YOU GET RID OF YOUR PICTURES AND YOUR POSTS AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? AND WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL? IT BECOMES A HUGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT’S THAT’S NEGATIVE, THAT’S THAT’S ONLINE, YOU’VE GOT TO HIRE A COMPANY TO TRY TO RE SORT OF MANAGE YOUR IDENTITY. I SPOKE TO THE OWNER OF ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES, HARRY MCGINNES, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF PRIVACY B IS A NATIONAL COMPANY OUT OF GEORGIA. THEY MAP OUT YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT AND THEN REACH OUT TO ALL THE COMPANIES YOU’VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AND ASK THAT YOUR POST BE TAKEN DOWN AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION REMOVED. THE DATA BROKERS ARE COMPANIES THAT THEIR PRIMARY REVENUE SOURCE IS BUYING AND SELLING PII OR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION. THESE COMPANIES CRUNCH ALL THE NUMBERS THEY BUY AND SELL YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER, YOUR HOME ADDRESS, YOUR BIRTHDAY, YOUR YOUR SPOUSE’S INFORMATION, ALL EVERYTHING THEY CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON. HARRY SAYS THERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO GET OFF THE INTERNET YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS, YOUR PHONE NUMBER, AND YOUR EMAIL. SO YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT MATTERS. NOT ONLY YOUR CURRENT INFORMATION, BUT THE OLD INFORMATION. BECAUSE DATA BROKERS ARE EXPERTS AT WEAVING TOGETHER DISPARATE PIECES OF DATA AND CONNECTING IT TO PAINT THE STORY OF WHO YOU ARE. MEREDITH MCDONOUGH WESH TWO NEWS. AND YOU CAN PUT IN THE ELBOW GREASE AND DO YOUR BEST TO DELETE YOUR POSTS AND ONLINE FOOTPRINT, OR PAY ABOUT $200 A YEAR TO HAVE A COMPANY WORK ON DELETING YOUR DATA FOR YOU. BUT KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE SOME GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS THAT CANNOT
As digital footprints become increasingly difficult to erase, experts are emphasizing the importance of managing one’s online presence to protect privacy. From social media posts to websites visited, every action leaves a trail collecting your data. Josh Hammonds, chair of the communications department at Rollins College, said, “I think when we signed up for social media, we all took an exchange. We exchanged our privacy for the comfort of connection.” Hammonds teaches his students the importance of intentional posting, noting that even if a post is deleted, it might have been captured by someone else.Denathany Cerpa, one of Hammonds’ students, understands the need for caution, saying, “I think that when you’re posting yourself nowadays, you have to be, like, very cautious because everybody can see it. Everybody can like, comment, post, share.” Cerpa also highlights the importance of reminding parents what not to post, expressing concern that future employers may access old social media posts.The process of deleting one’s online presence can be complex, often requiring professional help.”And so, you know, if you’ve got something that’s, that’s negative, that’s that’s online, you’ve got to hire a company to try to re-sort of manage your identity,” Hammonds said.”Data brokers are companies that their primary revenue source is buying and selling PII or personally identifiable information,” said Harry Maugans, founder and CEO of Privacy Bee, a company that specializes in managing digital footprints. “These companies crunch all the numbers — they buy and sell your cellphone number — your home address, your birthday — your spouse’s information — everything they can get their hands on.”Maugans advises removing three key pieces of information from the internet: your current address, phone number, and email. “So your digital footprint matters — not only your current information but the old information because data brokers are experts at weaving together pieces of data and connecting it to paint the story of who you are,” he said.He emphasized the importance of cleaning up digital footprints to protect against those with bad intent.Individuals can attempt to delete their online presence themselves or pay approximately $200 a year for a company to manage their data removal. However, some government documents, such as tax records, cannot be removed from the internet.
As digital footprints become increasingly difficult to erase, experts are emphasizing the importance of managing one’s online presence to protect privacy.
From social media posts to websites visited, every action leaves a trail collecting your data.
Josh Hammonds, chair of the communications department at Rollins College, said, “I think when we signed up for social media, we all took an exchange. We exchanged our privacy for the comfort of connection.”
Hammonds teaches his students the importance of intentional posting, noting that even if a post is deleted, it might have been captured by someone else.
Denathany Cerpa, one of Hammonds’ students, understands the need for caution, saying, “I think that when you’re posting yourself nowadays, you have to be, like, very cautious because everybody can see it. Everybody can like, comment, post, share.”
Cerpa also highlights the importance of reminding parents what not to post, expressing concern that future employers may access old social media posts.
The process of deleting one’s online presence can be complex, often requiring professional help.
“And so, you know, if you’ve got something that’s, that’s negative, that’s that’s online, you’ve got to hire a company to try to re-sort of manage your identity,” Hammonds said.
“Data brokers are companies that their primary revenue source is buying and selling PII or personally identifiable information,” said Harry Maugans, founder and CEO of Privacy Bee, a company that specializes in managing digital footprints. “These companies crunch all the numbers — they buy and sell your cellphone number — your home address, your birthday — your spouse’s information — everything they can get their hands on.”
Maugans advises removing three key pieces of information from the internet: your current address, phone number, and email.
“So your digital footprint matters — not only your current information but the old information because data brokers are experts at weaving together pieces of data and connecting it to paint the story of who you are,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of cleaning up digital footprints to protect against those with bad intent.
Individuals can attempt to delete their online presence themselves or pay approximately $200 a year for a company to manage their data removal.
However, some government documents, such as tax records, cannot be removed from the internet.