Digital Footprint

Definition

A digital footprint, or data exhaust is a way of describing the trail left by one's interactions in a digital environment Unlike footprints left in the sand at the beach, our online data trails often stick around long after the tide has gone out. As digital footprints are often persistent, those who participate on social networks have become increasingly conscious of their history on the site. Many social networks have learned to quantify the digital footprints of their users and used them them to improve click through rates on ads placed on their pages.