Stretch tasks Your digital footprint

Round 1: Quiz Blitz

1. She still has a passive digital footprint Watching, searching and moving around with a phone all leave data behind, even if you never post a thing.
2. False Clearing history only removes the copy on your own device. The websites and apps keep their own records on their servers.
3. The location your phone reports while an app is open; How long you pause on each advert as you scroll Passive data is collected without you choosing to share it. Comments and uploads are things you post on purpose, so they are active.
4. The search engine records your search → Your interest is added to your advertising profile → Advertisers pay to reach people with that interest → Trainer adverts follow you onto other websites This is targeted advertising: your passive footprint is turned into a profile, and the profile is sold as a way to reach you.
5. metadata Metadata is data about data. Photo metadata can include the exact coordinates where the picture was taken.
6. Turning off location access for apps that do not need it Location tracking is passive data collected all day long. A password protects an account but does not change what is collected.
7. The receiver can screenshot or film the screen first Once a photo is on someone else's screen, it can be copied in seconds, and many apps cannot even tell you it happened.
8. True Your footprint is everything about you online, not just what you post. Tags, mentions and photos taken by others all count.
9. Collects information about people and sells it to other companies Data brokers buy, combine and sell personal data. It is one way your footprint travels to companies you have never heard of.
10. An update can add new features or reset settings to share more New features often arrive switched on. A setting you chose last year may not cover something added last week.
11. A review you write for a restaurant Active means you chose to share it. Writing and posting a review is deliberate; the other three are collected about you.
12. Strangers learn the house is empty and may work out where it is Public posts can be seen by anyone. A caption and the background of a photo can tell a stranger when a home is empty and where it is.

Round 2: Quick Fire

1. • Active: data you choose to share, such as posts and photos
   • Passive: data collected about you without you choosing to share it
   Model answer

   An active footprint is the data you choose to share, such as posts, comments and photos. A passive footprint is data collected about you automatically, without you choosing to share it, such as your location and browsing history.

2. • Other people may have screenshotted, saved or shared copies
   Model answer

   Other people may already have taken screenshots or shared copies of it, and the company may keep backups on its servers.

3. • Which school they go to
   • Where the photo was taken, or where they live, from the location data
   • What they look like
   Model answer

   From the badge a stranger could find out which school they go to, and the location data in the photo could show exactly where it was taken, which may be their home. The selfie also shows what they look like, so they could be recognised.

4. • It is often used to check who you are, for example to reset a password or answer a security question
   • Criminals can combine it with other details to commit identity theft or fraud
   Model answer

   Your date of birth is often used to prove who you are, for example to reset a password or answer a bank's security questions. A criminal can combine it with your name and other details to pretend to be you and commit identity theft or fraud.

Round 3: Big Think

1. • It records which pages you visit, what you click and how long you stay
   • Apps and phones collect your location
   • It records your searches and what you buy
   • Cookies and trackers follow you across different websites
   • It combines data from many sources, or buys it from data brokers
   • The profile is used to predict your interests and target adverts
   Model answer

   Even if you never post, your passive footprint grows every time you go online. Websites and apps record which pages you visit, what you click and how long you stay, and cookies and trackers follow you across different websites. Your phone reports your location to apps, and search engines record every search you make and everything you buy. The company combines all of this, and can buy more from data brokers, to build a detailed profile of your interests, which it uses to target adverts at you.

2. • Some data collection is harmless or useful, for example personalised recommendations
   • Posts can be screenshotted or copied, so they may be permanent
   • Universities and employers may look at what you posted
   • Data about you is sold or used to target advertising
   • Personal details help criminals with scams, fraud or guessing security questions
   • Location or routine can show strangers where you are
   • Something that seems fine now may be judged differently in the future
   • A reasoned conclusion
   Model answer

   The student is partly right that some data collection is harmless, and can even be useful, for example when a streaming service recommends films based on what you have watched. However, they are wrong that their footprint does not matter. Anything posted can be screenshotted and copied, so it may be permanent even after it is deleted, and universities and employers do look at what applicants have posted. Data about you is also sold and used to target advertising. Personal details such as your birthday, your pet's name or your school help criminals guess security questions and commit fraud, and location data or a public routine can show strangers where you are. Something that seems fine at thirteen may also look very different in the future. Overall, everyone has something worth protecting, so the student is wrong: a digital footprint matters even with nothing to hide.

This or That

1. Active You chose to post it, so it is active. Passive data is collected without you doing anything.
2. Passive You did not choose to share it. The app collected it in the background, so it is passive.
3. Copies or screenshots may still exist Anyone could have screenshotted or shared it in that hour, and deleting your post does not delete their copies.
4. Universities and employers A public profile can be seen by anyone, and universities and employers do look.
5. They are common security question answers Those answers can reset passwords, so sharing them helps someone break into your accounts.
6. Turning off location tagging A location tag shows where you were. Hashtags spread a post further, so more people see it.
7. Treat anything online as permanent and public Even when an app says otherwise, assume anything you put online is permanent and public.
8. Would a teacher, parent and future boss be fine seeing it? If you would not want a teacher, a parent or a future employer to see it, do not post it.

Memory Match

• A 2 Digital footprint: The trail of data you leave behind online
• B 4 Active footprint: Data you choose to post, such as photos and comments
• C 5 Passive footprint: Data collected about you without you doing anything
• D 3 Privacy settings: Controls for who can see what you share
• E 6 Location tagging: Adding where you were to a post or photo
• F 1 Targeted advert: An advert chosen using data collected about you