Reduce Your Data Footprint
When you travel the Internet, you leave behind a trail of data exhaust. Every click on an ad, every photo download, every site login can be tracked back to you or your children.
And this trail doesn’t just disappear. This personal information is often stored in cyber clouds for a very, very, very long time.
And aggressive marketers are the least of your worries. Lots of people want your (and your child’s) data, especially the bad guys.
Start putting your cyber house in order today! Take steps to reduce the data footprint our families leaves. The Internet is a wonderful and entertaining place but everyone in the family should know what information they provide is REALLY necessary for them to enjoy its benefits.
Tell your family members: Be careful with the information you share! Here are a few real life examples of how some companies are sneaky when collecting your data.
√ A certain store was asking for a customer’s FULL birth date in order to sign up for its newsletter.
√ A restaurant was giving out FREE birthday cakes as long as you emailed them a copy of your child’s birth certificate.
√ Women buying maternity clothes were being asked at a store when their due date was at the time of checkout.
√ A job-hunting service advertised it was seeking applicants for “high paying jobs” but they must first submit social security numbers and dates of birth before getting any details of the jobs.
We’d argue there is NO WAY you should give up this type of information without more information on how your data will be used.
Only give trusted sources the minimum amount of information they need. And question whether that information is necessary for the transaction or whether they are simply trying to hoard your personal details.
Remember your data has value, be careful with who you entrust your digital life.