Every time we go online, we leave behind a “digital footprint”—the data we create, share, and store. This not only affects our privacy but also has an environmental cost since massive data centers use huge amounts of electricity to store this data.
Reducing your digital footprint helps protect your personal information and lowers energy waste.
Small changes in your online habits can make a big difference for both your privacy and the planet!
7 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Digital Footprint
We have gathered a few simple and practical tips to help you minimize your digital footprint. These steps are easy to follow and can make a big difference for both your online safety and the environment.
1. Delete Old Emails and Unused Files
When you store emails and files in the cloud, they take up space in massive data centers that run 24/7, consuming a lot of energy. Unused data can also put your privacy at risk, as old emails might still contain sensitive information that hackers could access.
To reduce your digital clutter, focus on deleting old emails, particularly those with large attachments. Tools like Clean Email make it easy to declutter your inbox by automatically organizing emails into groups (such as old emails, unread messages, or newsletters) and letting you delete or archive them in bulk.
Clean Email homepage
For Gmail users, the search bar can also be used to filter emails by size or date—for instance, search for “size:10MB” to find large files or “older_than:1y” to find emails older than a year.
On cloud storage platforms like Google Drive or OneDrive, you can also use their built-in features to locate and delete large files. In Google Drive, for example, clicking on “Storage” in the menu shows all your files sorted by size, making it easier to delete what you no longer need.
2. Delete or Deactivate Old Social Media Accounts
There might be social media accounts you’ve used in the past and forgotten about, but they still exist and store your personal information. Since you’re no longer monitoring them, they can be an easy way for someone to steal your data or impersonate you.
Go through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok and delete or deactivate any accounts you no longer need. Older platforms like MySpace or Tumblr might still have data tied to your name, so don’t forget to check those too.
Most platforms have simple steps in the settings to delete your account, and if you’ve lost access, you can try their recovery options.
3. Use Spam Filters to Protect Your Privacy
Spam emails not only clutter your inbox but also pose risks to your privacy, as they often carry phishing links or malware. Enabling spam filters in your email provider, like Gmail or Outlook, is the first step to blocking unwanted messages and preventing unnecessary data from being stored in energy-intensive data centers.
To take it a step further, you can:
- Regularly review and empty your spam folder: Spam emails in this folder still consume storage and energy until deleted permanently.
- Report spam messages: Most email providers have a “Report Spam” or “Block” option that helps improve their spam detection algorithms for everyone.
- Avoid sharing your email publicly: To minimize the number of spam emails you receive, avoid posting your email address on websites, forums, or social media platforms. Use a disposable email address for signups or online transactions.
- Use advanced email filtering settings: Platforms like Gmail allow you to create custom filters to automatically archive, delete, or label suspicious emails based on keywords or senders. For example, in Gmail, you can go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. From there, you can filter emails by keywords (e.g., “promo”), size, or sender. This saves you time, keeps your inbox tidy, and reduces the amount of unnecessary data stored.
Email filtering settings on Gmail
Additionally, as AI-generated content becomes more common, an AI checker can help detect and confirm whether the text in a message or document was created by AI. This is especially useful for evaluating the content of suspicious or impersonal emails, such as phishing attempts that use AI-written text to mimic human communication.
4. Regularly Clear Browser Cookies and Cache
Another effective way to protect your privacy and reduce unnecessary stored data is to clear cookies and cache from your browser. Cookies are often used by websites to track your behavior, while cached files (like images or scripts) are saved to help websites load faster. Over time, these files can build up, take up space, and even slow down your device.
To clear cookies and cache, follow these steps depending on your browser:
- Google Chrome: In Settings, choose Privacy and Security, then select Clear Browsing Data. Decide which items to remove, such as cookies, browsing history, or cached files.
- Mozilla Firefox: Click on the menu, go to Settings, and navigate to Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
- Safari (Mac): Go to the Safari menu and click Preferences. Under Privacy, click Manage Website Data, then remove cookies and cached files.
- Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services, and under Clear Browsing Data, select Choose What to Clear to delete cookies and cache.
You can often choose the time range, such as clearing data from the past hour, week, or everything stored. It’s a good habit to do this every few weeks or after visiting unfamiliar websites.
5. Limit Location Sharing
Sharing your location constantly isn’t always necessary and can expose personal data while increasing the amount of stored information on servers. In some cases, people can even track you with your phone number, which makes controlling location sharing even more important.
You can turn off location history in your account settings to prevent services like Google from tracking your movements and storing the data. You can also delete previously stored location information to reduce unnecessary data.
On your phone, disable precise location sharing for websites when browsing. In browsers like Safari or Chrome, you can find location permissions in the privacy or security settings. Limiting how often your location is shared online reduces unnecessary data collection, enhances your privacy, and decreases your digital footprint.
6. Use Search Engines That Offset Carbon Emissions
Did you know that some search engines help the planet while you browse? Search engines like Ecosia use their ad revenue to fund environmental projects, such as planting trees or supporting renewable energy. Ecosia, for instance, has planted millions of trees worldwide, turning your everyday searches into a force for good.
Ecosia homepage
Switching to an eco-friendly search engine reduces the environmental impact of your online searches. It’s an easy way to support renewable energy and reforestation efforts while continuing your daily browsing routine.
7. Use Energy-Efficient Devices
Older devices often consume more power and lack support for the latest security updates, making them vulnerable to hacking or malware. For example, outdated printers or routers might have unpatched vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to access your data.
Modern energy-efficient devices are designed with better security features, such as firmware updates, encryption, and improved authentication. Upgrading reduces energy consumption, improves performance, and helps protect your personal information from potential threats.
Even printers and printing supplies can pose a security risk. Non-original cartridges, for instance, may bypass certain safeguards or contain compromised chips, potentially opening a backdoor to your network. To safeguard your data and ensure consistent performance, it’s crucial to use original products from trusted sellers. If price is a concern, you can explore online stores like Toner Buzz, which offer original cartridges at better prices without compromising on quality or security.
Conclusion
Taking control of your digital footprint doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple actions like managing your data, updating your devices, and adjusting privacy settings can go a long way in improving your online security and reducing unnecessary waste.
These small changes can help you stay more secure while contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable digital environment.
