Before You Begin Your Digital Footprint Audit
Make a list of current and old usernames, email addresses, and relevant public pages. Keep the page URL, what you found, and the action you want to take. Work through the areas that apply to you; this checklist cannot show everything about you online.
What You'll Need
- • A computer or smartphone with internet access
- • List of all email addresses you've used
- • List of usernames you've used on different platforms
- • Phone numbers you've used for account registrations
- • Notebook or digital document to track findings
Find accounts under an old username
Search your old usernames across ~4,000 sites to find public account links for your checklist. Open the links to decide which accounts are yours.
Step 1: Personal Information Audit
Start by searching for basic personal information about yourself. This reveals what details are publicly available and easily discoverable by anyone who knows your name.
Search for Your Name
🔍 Search Tasks:
Search "Your Full Name" to find exact matches
Search "Your Name City State" for location-specific results
Search "Your Name Company Name" for professional mentions
Look for photos of you that might be publicly available
📝 Document What You Find:
- • News articles or press mentions
- • Professional achievements or awards
- • Social media profiles appearing in search results
- • Directory listings (business, school, organization)
- • Photos with you tagged or identified
- • Any personal information like addresses or phone numbers
Search Engines Beyond Google
Alternative Search Engines
People Search Engines
Step 2: Social Media Account Review
Review all your social media accounts to check privacy settings, content visibility, and personal information exposure. This step often reveals the most privacy concerns.
Major Platform Audit
📘 Facebook/Meta
🐦 Twitter/X
Additional Platforms to Check
Video Platforms
Professional/Creative
Community/Forums
Step 3: Professional Profile Check
Your professional online presence can significantly impact career opportunities. Review all professional profiles and work-related information that appears in search results.
LinkedIn Deep Dive
📋 LinkedIn Profile Audit:
Check what information is visible to non-LinkedIn users
Ensure all dates, titles, and company names are correct
Remove outdated skills or inaccurate endorsements
Ensure all recommendations reflect current professional standards
Review recent posts, comments, and shares for professionalism
Other Professional Platforms
Industry-Specific Platforms
Company and Directory Listings
Step 4: Photo and Video Audit
Visual content often reveals more personal information than text. Photos can contain location data, show your home or workplace, and appear in unexpected places online.
Visual Content Discovery
🖼️ Find Your Photos Online:
Use Google Images, TinEye, or Yandex to find where your photos appear
Check Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms for tagged photos
Look for photos from conferences, parties, or group events
Look for photos in articles, press releases, or blog posts
📱 Check for Sensitive Information in Photos:
- • Location data embedded in image files (EXIF data)
- • Background details revealing your home or workplace
- • License plates, addresses, or phone numbers visible
- • Financial documents or sensitive information in frame
- • Children or family members who didn't consent to sharing
- • Photos that could be embarrassing in professional contexts
Video Content Review
Video Platform Check
Videos You Appear In
Step 5: Contact Information Review
Contact information like phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses can be found in unexpected places online. This step helps you discover where your contact details are publicly visible.
Contact Information Search
📧 Email Address Discovery:
Google each email in quotes to see where it appears
Use HaveIBeenPwned.com to check if your emails were in breaches
Check if old emails appear in forum posts or mailing lists
📞 Phone Number Search:
Look for business listings, social media, or directory entries
Search WhitePages, Spokeo, and similar services
Check Yellow Pages, business directories, and local listings
🏠 Physical Address Check:
Look for property records, voter registrations, and business filings
Look up your name on Whitepages, Spokeo, and TruePeopleSearch
Look for location tags that might reveal your home address
Step 6: Public Records Check
Government databases and public records contain substantial personal information. Review records relevant to your own circumstances and location.
Government and Public Database Search
Legal and Court Records
Property and Business Records
Academic and Professional Records
🎓 Educational Information:
Step 7: Create Your Digital Privacy Action Plan
Now that you've completed your digital footprint audit, it's time to create an action plan to address any privacy concerns you've discovered. Prioritize the most important issues first.
Priority Action Items
🔴 High Priority (Do Immediately):
🟡 Medium Priority (Do This Week):
🟢 Low Priority (Do This Month):
Ongoing Monitoring Plan
📅 Regular Monitoring Schedule:
- • Monthly: Search your name on Google and check first 3 pages of results
- • Quarterly: Review privacy settings on all social media accounts
- • Bi-annually: Run a full ProfileTrace search to discover new accounts
- • Annually: Complete this full digital footprint audit again
- • As needed: Monitor Google Alerts and respond to new mentions