Why children should understand their digital footprint

What is a digital footprint and why is it so important?

We spend a lot of time online, maybe too much time. After surveying nearly 25,000 parents and children across the UK, US, Australia, India, UAE and Germany, we found that children spend an average 4.5 hours a day on screens, while adults are spending a similar amount with their devices as well. You can read more about the findings of our survey here.¹ Every move we make online leaves a footprint that can never truly be deleted. This is called our digital footprint. As adults, we might understand the consequences of what we post and interact with on the internet, but children may struggle to do this. This is why it is important to instill the idea of digital footprints and real-world consequences for online actions before your child makes their way online.

Active vs passive digital footprints

There are two different types of digital footprints to be aware of. Both active and passive digital footprints exist for almost everyone who is online. While not everyone who is online has an active footprint, every single online user has a passive footprint.

An active digital footprint is information, posts, comments, data, etc. that you willingly put out into the online space. This could include posting a photo on social media or leaving a comment on a forum. An active footprint could also include downloading an app or signing up to a game with your email address. Although an active footprint is more visible, you have more control over it. Read more about how you can encourage healthier social media use to your children here.

A passive digital footprint is data that is collected from you automatically when you use the internet. This footprint is created without you directly doing anything. Some examples of your passive digital footprint could be location tracking, gaming apps storing play habits, and friends tagging you in posts - even without you directly posting yourself. You may not even realize it’s happening, but it builds your online identity. Your passive footprint highlights the importance of privacy settings and understanding how and why your data is being collected.

How digital footprints can shape a child’s future

One of the reasons your digital footprint is so important is that it can have real world consequences, both in the present day and in the future. Posting something “silly” in a comment or a private picture may seem like a small moment, but it can have long-term consequences that shape a child’s opportunities in the future.

A major area that can be affected by a child’s digital footprint is their educational and professional prospects. Many schools, universities, and jobs now look beyond grades and previous qualifications. They also want to understand you as a person and the values you uphold, even while online. A child’s digital behavior contributes to how they are perceived; online actions are rarely private – a single screenshot of an unkind comment or embarrassing photo can be shared, resurfacing many years later.

The risks of not understanding a digital footprint

Without proper guidance, children may not realize the potential dangers of leaving an unmanaged digital footprint. Helping your child understand the following risks and some of the situations surrounding them will assist them in making more mindful choices while also developing healthier online habits.

• Privacy: Sharing details like their full name, school, or location can put children at risk of identity theft or contact from strangers. Something as simple as a birthday post or a picture in school uniform can reveal more information than you think.
• Cyberbullying and oversharing: Careless posting can open children up to teasing, harassment, or exploitation. Children could also unintentionally be contributing to cyberbullying without fully understanding the impact of their actions.
• Online behavior is permanent: Jokes, arguments, or inappropriate photos shared in the heat of the moment can resurface years later. What feels temporary to a child can have long-lasting consequences.

Teaching children to be responsible online

Digital literacy is essential, and in today’s day and age, it should be a skill as highly valued as reading and writing. Teaching your children to navigate the digital world - including managing their digital footprint - is important. Ways to encourage your children to be respectful online could include:

• Think before posting: instill the idea of pausing and asking themselves “would I be happy for a teacher, grandparent or my parents seeing this?” This encourages critical thinking and shows them that not everything belongs online. -Understanding privacy settings: Show children how to manage who can see what they are putting online, how they can make their social media accounts private, and why they should share information with people who are not trustworthy or known to them.
• Being open and honest as a parent: Open conversations are a way for your child to understand why being responsible online is important. This is a great opportunity to model those behaviors yourself as well.

Empowering children to take control of their digital footprint is a great way to ensure they understand that their digital footprint isn’t something that just happens to them.

Protecting your child’s footprint

Parental controls and device software are valuable tools in helping children understand and manage their digital footprint, and devices like the HMD Fuse make it much easier for parents. The HMD Fuse includes built-in features that allow parents to set healthy boundaries around screen time and manage which apps can be viewed and used by the child on the device, at any time – this includes only allowing their child to have social media at a certain age or completely removing the camera app from the phone if they choose. The HMD Fuse is also equipped with HarmBlock AI, an AI solution that automatically detects and blocks nude content, meaning that a child will not be able to view, send, or receive nude content.

These controls guide what children see and share, protecting them from potential risks and teaching them the importance of making thoughtful digital choices.