← Years 5–6 Data & Information

Digital footprint

The trail of data you leave online from what you do and post, like posts, comments, searches and photos, including data other people share about you.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Data, Information and Privacy — Module 39, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Digital footprint and privacy — Module 3, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Data privacy and the Australian Privacy Principles — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Staying Safe Online — Module 32, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Digital Footprints — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Digital Footprints and Data Minimisation — Module 2, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Privacy Principles and Digital Footprints — Module 5

Understanding Digital footprint in Years 5–6 Data & Information

What it does: Photos of you that are shared online are data that become part of your trail. When a friend posts a photo of you, it adds to your digital footprint even though you did not post it. What you search for can be saved by websites and search tools. This is part of your footprint. What you post and do online can leave data behind, so it is wise to think first.

Common mistakes: Posting a photo adds data to your digital footprint. It should be add(trail, post), not remove. Searches add to your footprint. Using trail ← search wipes out everything else in the trail. It should be add(trail, search).

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

🖨 Print worksheet + answer key Add Digital footprint to a class →

This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 31–56) and word search (Modules 21–56).

Take this worksheet further — free with Cloodit

Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning
Duo
Which one is part of your digital footprint?
A note you write in a paper diaryA comment you write under a video
Matches
comment("Hi!") -> footprint = none
↓
Wrong: a comment is data you leave online, so it does add to your digital footprint.
Applying
Meanings
Term
digital footprint
Meaning
The trail of data you leave online from what you do and post, like posts, comments, searches and photos, including data other people share about you.
Practice
digital footprint <- trail of data
Testing
Gaps
A is the trail of data
Check Answer
Spots
2post ← "Photo of my dog"
3remove(trail, post)

Cloodit turns curriculum-aligned coding content into journeys students work through one biome at a time.

The 'Oryx' badge — Desert Navigator, one of Cloodit's 106 collectible badges
Students earn collectable badges

Over 100 of them, across seven natural biomes.

Study Buddy
Students build a real study resource

Turns their work into revision material ready for Flash Cards and Exam study.

Diamond Dash — one of Cloodit's live, competitive Sprint games
Students lock in with Sprints

Live, competitive practice for the start of the lesson or a teacher-led lesson finisher.

A Cloodit certificate of achievement, ready to personalise and print
Custom printable certificates

Honour your top performers, or encourage a student who's trying hard — ready to print in seconds.

Add to class →

Quick Questions

1. Which one is part of your digital footprint?
A. A note you write in a paper diary
B. A comment you write under a video ✓
A digital footprint is the trail of data you leave online. A comment is online data. A paper diary is not.
2. Which statement about a digital footprint is correct?
A. It is a mark left on the floor by your shoes
B. It is the trail of data created by what you do and post online ✓
A digital footprint is the trail of data you create online by what you do and post.
3. Do your online searches add to your digital footprint?
A. Yes, searches can be recorded as data ✓
B. No, searches never leave any data
What you search for can be saved by websites and search tools. This is part of your footprint.
4. You post a photo of yourself on a class blog. What happens to your footprint?
A. It grows, because the photo is new data about you ✓
B. It stays the same, because photos are not data
Photos of you are data. When they go online, they become part of your digital footprint.
5. Your friend posts a photo of you online. Is it part of your digital footprint?
A. Yes, others can make a footprint about you ✓
B. No, only things you post yourself count
Data that other people share about you is part of your digital footprint too.

Match the Pairs

digital footprint → The trail of data you leave online from what you do and post
search history → A record of the words you looked for online, which adds to your digital footprint
Posting a photo of yourself adds to your digital footprint → post_photo(me)
Your footprint can grow from things other people share about you → friend_posts(photo_of_you)
comment("Hi!") -> footprint = none → Wrong: a comment is data you leave online, so it does add to your digital footprint.
my_footprint = only(my_posts) → Wrong: your footprint also includes searches, photos and data others share about you, not only your own posts.

Key Term

digital footprint
The trail of data you leave online from what you do and post, like posts, comments, searches and photos, including data other people share about you.

Fill in the Blanks

1. A digital footprint is the trail of data you leave online.
Hint: Type the two-word term for the trail of data you leave online.
2. Posts and comments add to your digital footprint.
Hint: Type the word for replies you write under someone's post.
3. A search you type into a search engine is part of your digital footprint.
Hint: Type the word for looking something up online with keywords.
4. A photo of you that a friend posts is in your footprint too.
Hint: Type the word for a picture taken with a camera.
5. Data others share about you is also part of your digital footprint.
Hint: Type the word for people other than you.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A trail ← []
B post ← "Photo of my dog"
C remove(trail, post)
Line C — Posting a photo adds data to your digital footprint. It should be add(trail, post), not remove.
Question 2
A search ← "best skate parks"
B trail ← search
C print(trail)
Line B — Searches add to your footprint. Using trail ← search wipes out everything else in the trail. It should be add(trail, search).
Question 3
A comment ← Great game!
B add(trail, comment)
C print(trail)
Line A — Text must be inside quotes. It should be comment ← "Great game!".
Question 4
A post ← "Me at Sam's party"
B tagged ← true
C if tagged: ignore(post)
Line C — A photo someone else posts of you is part of your footprint. It should add the post to the trail, not ignore it.
Question 5
A trail ← []
B add(trail, "my photo")
C add(trail, "my comment")
D print(length(post))
Line D — The program should count the items in the trail, so it should be print(length(trail)). The variable post does not exist here.

Student with a class code? Join your class →