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    (i) Safeguarding your child’s digital footprints

    Information that you leave online, also known as your digital footprints, can be used by others to harm you and your loved ones. With a proper understanding of what it is, you can learn how to better manage your digital footprints and prevent others from taking advantage of it.

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    What are considered digital footprints?

    Digital footprints refer to trails of data you leave behind when using the Internet. When your child uploads photos to online platforms, visits websites, or even sends ‘disappearing’ online messages, they leave behind these trails of data.

    These can be their browsing habits or IP addresses that are collected via ‘cookies’ by websites and become part of their digital footprints. Such data can be then used to track their online activities.

    A series of icons that show type of online activities
    A guy looking into digital footprints

    Sharenting refers to sharing photos or videos of your child online. These add to your child’s digital footprints, which may potentially allow strangers to learn your child's name, school, interests, and even their whereabouts. Such information can make your child more vulnerable to online sexual grooming or become victims of scams.

    It is important to remember that what is online, remains online, and is almost impossible to permanently delete.

    How can you manage your digital footprints?

    To protect and reduce both your own and your child’s digital footprint, you can:

    • Pay attention to what you share online about yourself or your child, including photos and videos

    • If you are into sharenting, find out more about how to engage in it safely

      A binder
      Understanding sharenting and its impacts
      Module 9A(v)

    • Just as you encourage your child to use Stop-Think-Do, it is important that you, as their role models, do the same to assess the risks before posting something online

      A binder
      Make healthy decisions using the Stop-Think-Do strategy
      Module 2C(iii)

    • It is important to ensure that your own and your child’s personal data is only used in the way you want it to be

    A parent monitoring their child using the internet
    A binder
    Understanding sharenting and its impacts
    Module 9A(v)
    A binder
    Make healthy decisions using the Stop-Think-Do strategy
    Module 2C(iii)

    • Have conversations with your child to set family rules about posting photos or videos of family members online

    • Avoid posting photos or live videos in real time so others will not be able to track your family’s whereabouts

    A parent explaining the ground rules to their kid
    A cyber criminal

    • Talk to your child about the potential dangers of oversharing personal information (e.g. cyber criminals could gather information and infer your identity to perform impersonation scams)

    • Be a role model for your child by also following the ground rules you have set (e.g. seek permission from them before posting photos or videos of them)

    • Although they may be fast learners, your child may not fully understand the complicated online tools and settings, or how platforms work (e.g. privacy settings, two-factor authentication, blocking spam accounts)

    13+
    Keeping your child off social media

    • While major social media services require users to be at least 13 years old, it is best to keep your child off social media until you are sure that they can effectively protect themselves online (e.g. by using privacy settings in applications)

    Just as it is important to teach your child how to behave responsibly online, you should also teach them good ways to improve their online security and safety

    Girl laughing while using the laptop

    By using T.H.I.N.K. before posting anything online, whether to a public or private account, your child can learn to be kind and avoid hurting others with their posts

    A child using T.H.I.N.K while browsing online
    A binder
    Creating a positive presence online using T.H.I.N.K. and S.U.R.E.
    Module 10B(i)
    Kids painting

    For younger children, you can share the story of Hansel and Gretel to illustrate the idea of digital footprints. Similar to how the trail of pebbles left by Hansel and Gretel were able to lead them home the first time they were in the woods, digital footprints can lead others back to information about you. Thus, leaving a trail of digital footprints could lead cyber criminals to piece together information about you and your child.

    Visit the Cyber Security Agency (CSA)’s website for more examples of such fairytale analogies to illustrate cybersecurity.