← Years 7–8 Data & Information

Managing your own digital footprint

Take action to control what is online about you by searching your own name, deleting old posts and unused accounts, and asking others to remove content.

Part of: 7-8 Digital Technologies: Digital footprint and privacy — Module 19, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Digital Footprints — Module 19, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Digital Footprints and Data Minimisation — Module 12

Understanding Managing your own digital footprint in Years 7–8 Data & Information

What it does: Reporting or requesting removal is how you ask others to remove content about you when you cannot delete it yourself. An action plan turns the idea of managing your footprint into clear steps you can follow and tick off. Unused accounts can still store your data and could be hacked. Deleting them shrinks your footprint. You can ask the person who posted it to remove it. Many people will say yes when you ask politely. Most platforms have a report or removal request tool. Fighting back can make things worse and add to your footprint. New content can appear at any time, so it is smart to check every few months.

Common mistakes: To manage your own footprint you search your own name. Searching a pet's name will not show what is online about you. It should be search(my_name). Unused accounts should be deleted to shrink your footprint. Keeping them leaves your data online. The line should be delete account.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 100–124) and word search (Modules 87–124).

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Learning
Duo
You want to know what strangers can find about you online. What is a good first step?
Search your own name in a search engineWait until someone else posts about you
Matches
Uninstalled the app, so my account is gone
↓
Uninstalling an app does not delete the account. Your data stays on the company's servers, so you must delete the account in its settings.
Applying
Meanings
Term
Manage your footprint
Meaning
Take action to control what is online about you by searching your own name, deleting old posts and unused accounts, and asking others to remove content.
Practice
results ← search("my full name")
Testing
Gaps
("Mia Tran")
Check Answer
Spots
1results <- search(my_pet)
2FOR each result in results

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Quick Questions

1. You want to know what strangers can find about you online. What is a good first step?
A. Search your own name in a search engine ✓
B. Wait until someone else posts about you
Searching your own name shows what others might see. It is the first step in managing your footprint.
2. You have an old gaming account you never use. What should you do?
A. Leave it open forever
B. Delete the account ✓
Unused accounts can still store your data and could be hacked. Deleting them shrinks your footprint.
3. A friend posts an embarrassing photo of you that you did not agree to. What can you do?
A. Ask your friend to take it down ✓
B. Do nothing because it cannot be changed
You can ask the person who posted it to remove it. Many people will say yes when you ask politely.
4. Someone ignores your request to remove a harmful post about you. What is the next step?
A. Report the post to the platform ✓
B. Post something harmful back
Most platforms have a report or removal request tool. Fighting back can make things worse and add to your footprint.
5. True or false: Searching your own name only needs to be done once, and then never again.
A. True
B. False ✓
New content can appear at any time, so it is smart to check every few months.

Match the Pairs

Search: "Jess Taylor" Melbourne → Searching your own name with a search engine to see what others can find about you online
Settings > Account > Delete account → Closing an unused account so it stops holding your personal data
If someone posts an embarrassing photo of you, you can ask them or the platform to take it down → Report > Photo of me > Request removal
A footprint action plan lists what to do, and by when, to tidy up your online presence → 1. Search my name 2. Delete old posts 3. Close unused accounts
Uninstalled the app, so my account is gone → Uninstalling an app does not delete the account. Your data stays on the company's servers, so you must delete the account in its settings.
I searched my name once in Year 7, so I'm done → Your footprint keeps changing as new content is posted, so one search is not enough. You should check regularly.

Key Term

Manage your footprint
Take action to control what is online about you by searching your own name, deleting old posts and unused accounts, and asking others to remove content.

Fill in the Blanks

1. search("Mia Tran")
Hint: Type the action word that looks up your own name online to see what others can find.
2. deleteAccount("OldGame")
Hint: Type the action name that removes an account you no longer use.
3. requestRemoval(oldPhoto, "the site")
Hint: Type the action name for asking a site or person to take down content about you.
4. results ← search("Mia Tran") IF results HAS oldPost THEN delete(oldPost)
Hint: Type the variable name that holds the old content you found and want to remove.
5. plan ← ["search", "delete", "report"] FOR EACH step IN plan do(step)
Hint: Type the keyword that goes through each step of your footprint action plan list.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A results <- search(my_pet)
B FOR each result in results
C IF result is unwanted
D add result to action_list
Line A — To manage your own footprint you search your own name. Searching a pet's name will not show what is online about you. It should be search(my_name).
Question 2
A accounts <- list of my accounts
B FOR each account in accounts
C IF account is unused
D keep account
Line D — Unused accounts should be deleted to shrink your footprint. Keeping them leaves your data online. The line should be delete account.
Question 3
A post <- photo of me online
B IF it is liked by friends
C report post to the platform
D ask poster to remove it
Line B — You report or ask for removal when content is harmful or unwanted, not just because friends like it. The condition should be IF it is harmful or unwanted.
Question 4
A plan <- empty list
B add 'search my name'
C add 'delete old accounts'
D never review the plan again
Line D — Your footprint keeps changing, so an action plan needs regular reviews. It should be REPEAT review plan every term.
Question 5
A name <- 'Sam Lee'
B results <- search(password)
C DISPLAY results
D check if each is about me
Line B — You search your own name to see your footprint. Searching for a password is unsafe and finds nothing useful. It should be search(name).

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