TRAILBLAZER TOOLBOX: What Is Your Digital Footprint?

TRAILBLAZER TOOLBOX:  What Is a Digital Footprint?

Did you know that nearly everything we do online leaves behind a trace? Whether web browsing, posting on social media, or shopping for deals online, almost every click and interaction contributes to a record of our digital lives. Collectively, this massive mélange of data about each of us is known as a “digital footprint.” But what exactly is a digital footprint, and why is it so significant? 

Understanding what constitutes a digital footprint and how it’s amassed over time is crucial to protecting privacy and security online, so Trailblazer Broadband has prepared this quick guide. Below, we walk you through the details of digital footprints, including the two main types, and the steps you can take to better safeguard and improve your internet experience on Trailblazer’s high-speed fiber network.

Digital Footprint Essentials

At its most basic, a digital footprint is the collection of data you leave behind when you use the internet, whether you do so knowingly or not. You’ll often see it referred to as a “digital shadow” because the collected data closely follows you as you utilize the internet without realizing the trail you’ve left behind. 

Your digital footprint includes a vast record of all the websites you visit, usually in the form of “cookies” that a website collects from each unique visitor. Additionally, you directly contribute to your digital footprint whenever you share information (e.g., your name, address, phone number, or Social Security Number), post content (i.e., social media photos and posts), interact with individuals or company websites, and download apps. 

Digital footprints can be active or passive. Next, we’ll explore the distinctions between active and passive digital footprints and their impact on online privacy and security. 

Active and Passive Digital Footprints

The deliberate actions you choose to take online create an active digital footprint. This includes sharing, posting, or writing content on social media, websites, and blogs. It also means that you’ve added to your active digital footprint any time you post photos, videos, reviews, and comments or interact in almost any way on the web.  

For example, when you post or comment on Facebook or Instagram—your own page or anyone you follow—or simply update your LinkedIn profile, you add to your active digital footprint. Even the emails you send or receive can contribute to your digital footprint, as email providers may use tools to digitally analyze the content of your messages for targeted ads and other purposes. Note that each action is intentional on your part—posting content, sending emails, etc.—and, critically, you can control what is shared and how it is presented.

On the other hand, a passive digital footprint is generated without your direct involvement (and often without your knowledge). It includes the data collected automatically about you while you browse the internet. Websites and apps follow your activity using cookies, analytics tools, and other tracking technologies to gather data on your preferences, location, and online behavior—all of which are passively collected and contribute to your digital footprint. 

So, when you visit a website, it might automatically track which specific pages you viewed, how long you stayed on each page, or your overall search history. Your physical location—i.e., your city, town, and state—is also frequently tracked. But unlike your active digital footprint, you did not intentionally input information about yourself or post content—you simply clicked, and tracking technology collected the data and added it to your passive digital footprint. 

Why Does Your Digital Footprint Matter?

Your digital footprint is not a mere “collection” of digitized information about you—it has considerable real-world implications for your privacy, security, and reputation online and offline.

• Protect Your Privacy: Millions of people use social media to post about themselves daily, and a substantial amount of personal information can be inferred from a digital footprint. From interests and relationships to everyday habits, companies, marketers, and advertisers can access this data and create targeted ads and offers. 
• Prevent Identity Theft and Fraud: Unfortunately, savvy cybercriminals can find ways to access your digital footprint and use it for nefarious purposes if it’s not been adequately protected—including the biggest risk: identity theft. This means that cybercriminals could potentially access your name, address, phone number, Social Security Number, or even bank account and credit card details through your digital presence and exploit them. 
• Defend Your Reputation: Be mindful that employers, coworkers, friends, and family may search for you online to learn more about you and what you’re up to. Posts or controversial content taken out of context or inappropriate can negatively impact your personal and professional reputation for years—or even lead to termination. 

Managing and Protecting Your Digital Footprint

Now that you understand your digital footprint, how it’s created, and its potential implications, you need to learn how to manage and protect it. Below are several simple but often overlooked steps to safeguard your digital presence effectively. 

• Reduce Personal Information Shared: First, and most obviously, avoid oversharing personal details online, whether in posts, emails, or online forms. The more you share about yourself, the more data is available for others to see (and use).
• Employ Strong Passwords and Security Tools: Use strong, unique passwords for every account you use. When available, use multi-factor authentication to access your accounts, and install security tools to protect your data from malware and viruses that insidiously collect it and lead to breaches.
• Customize and Enable Privacy Settings: Don’t forget to regularly check the privacy settings on your social media accounts, apps, and other online platforms, as well as the websites and online stores you use. Many apps and websites allow you to adjust your settings to limit who can see your posts and personal information and what data they collect about you. 
• Research Apps and Websites First: While trying out a new app or browsing a trendy website can be tempting, it’s advisable to tread cautiously before diving in too deeply or sharing information about yourself on them. Many apps require permission to access your data or online profiles before you can use them, so carefully review their permissions and privacy policies to ensure they are transparent and trustworthy. 

Understanding and managing your digital footprint is essential for maintaining privacy, security, and a positive online reputation. Armed with this knowledge and our recommended steps to protect your digital footprint, you can take control of your online presence and feel more confident while using the internet. 

For additional tips to help keep you and your family safe online, follow Trailblazer Broadband’s social pages. 

Fiber Internet: The Fort Knox of Online Security

Tired of feeling like your online life is as secure as a house made of straw? In today’s digital age, internet security is more important than ever. While there are many options available, fiber internet stands out as the most secure and reliable choice.

Let’s take a look at how fiber compares to its internet connectivity counterparts, and why it’s the closest thing to a “vault” for those who prioritize online safety.

Fiber vs. The Rest

You can’t just waltz into Fort Knox for a tour. It’s not a museum; it’s a fortress! Fiber internet uses pulses of light through thin glass strands to transmit data, making it inherently more secure than it’s connectivity counterparts: 

Satellite Internet: The Space Cadet of Internet Connections

Sure, it sounds cool – “Ooh, my cat videos are coming from space!” But if aliens wanted to steal your data, they’d have a front-row seat. Plus, with all those space rocks floating around, your connection is about as stable as a Hollywood marriage.

Cellular Data: The Gossip of the Internet World

It’s like that friend who can’t keep a secret, broadcasting your data to every cell tower in sight, practically begging for eavesdroppers. It’s convenient, but it’s also the town crier of the internet world, shouting your personal information from the rooftops.

Cable Internet: The Nosy Neighbor of Connections

It’s like living in an apartment with paper-thin walls. Sure, you’re connected, but so is everyone else on your street. It’s a digital block party, and everyone’s invited – including that guy who still uses “password” as his Wi-Fi password.

Fiber Internet: The Fort Knox of Internet Connections

Only Trailblazer provides 100% fiber connections to the Estes region.  With fiber, your data is encoded into pulses of light end to end, making it harder to intercept than a vault door sealed tighter than a drum. It’s so secure, even James Bond would be jealous.

Speed and Security: A Perfect Pair

One of fiber’s biggest advantages is its speed. This isn’t just about loading web pages faster – it also contributes to security. Faster speeds mean:

• Quicker software and security updates
• Faster threat detection and response
• More efficient encryption processes

All of these factors combine to create a more secure online environment.

The Wi-Fi Factor

It’s important to note that you can still use Wi-Fi with fiber internet. Many people assume that fiber means a direct, wired connection to all devices, but that’s not the case. You can set up a wireless network just as you would with any other internet type. 

However, it’s worth mentioning that a wired connection is always the most secure option, regardless of your internet type. When you connect directly to your router with an Ethernet cable, you eliminate the risk of someone intercepting your data over the airwaves.

The Bottom Line

While no internet connection is 100% secure, fiber internet provides the strongest foundation for online safety. Its physical properties make it resistant to many common forms of interference and hacking attempts. 

Remember, though, that security isn’t just about your internet type. Always use strong passwords, keep your software updated, and consider using a VPN for an extra layer of protection. In the end, fiber internet is like a high-security vault for your data. It’s not impenetrable, but it’s certainly the toughest to crack.

So if you have the option, choosing fiber is a smart move for both speed and security. In the end, fiber internet is the way to go for protecting your internet “gold” from hackers and snoopers.

10 Things In Your Home That Interfere With And Block Wi-Fi Signals

Is your Wifi wonky or wonderful?  On the wonderful side, Wifi is the internet untethered, allowing you to move freely and use your devices anywhere in your home, outside, and throughout the world where there is a Wifi connection. The invisible connection flies through the air seamlessly, until something wonky happens, and it is disrupted or slowed by some sort of interference.

A wired connection will always be faster than a wireless (Wifi) connection as well as being free from interference.  Unlike your wired connection wifi shares bandwidth among all your devices, and sometimes your neighbor’s devices as well, so you will not see full speed – in Trailblazer’s case that’s 1000 Mbps or 1 GIG – on any single device when the bandwidth is shared. Older devices and operating systems can also slow down your wifi speeds.   Anything from building materials such as steel and concrete to aquariums and electronics can get in the way of wifi signals in a home, which may lead to signal coverage issues.

If you’re having issues with your Wifi connections, Trailblazer is here to help.  Our Technical Support Team is available 24 x 7 x 365 to review your system’s performance remotely.  The technicians can often optimize your Wifi speeds while you’re on the phone. If further investigation is needed, we will send someone out to investigate further.  

Here are some of the most likely Wifi disruptors to be aware of and mitigate if possible: 

1. Your Neighbor’s Network

When many networks are located closely together, for example in apartment buildings, this will affect the wireless capacity. For equipment on the 2.4 GHz band, neighboring networks are the single largest source of interference on the wireless network.One important reason to choose newer equipment that supports the 5 GHz frequency band is that the signals on this band have a shorter range and are therefore less likely to create and pick up interference from networks than older equipment using the 2.4 GHz band. Keep in mind with Trailblazer service, you have both a 2.4 and a 5 GHz band to offer the best possible coverages close to your Nokia Gateway and in more remote areas of your home.  Typically, your Wifi with Trailblazer will switch automatically between the two bands to achieve the best signal.

2. Separate Wireless Networks in Your Own Home

If you have multiple wireless networks in your home that are set up on different pieces of equipment – this can be even more disruptive than your neighbor’s network. If you need to have logins for the wireless network with different access levels, we recommend setting up a guest network with its own network name (SSID) on the same router or access point as the primary network.

3. Bluetooth

Wireless devices such as headsets, keyboards, and mice can interfere with the Wi-Fi signals. Bluetooth uses a technology called frequency hopping, which means it skips around the 2.4 GHz band, up to 1600 times per second(!)

When equipment that uses Bluetooth, jumps into the frequency range of equipment that uses Wi-Fi, it can therefore ruin some of the Wi-Fi traffic and create delays. As it jumps so often, actual impact on Wi-Fi will be highly variable, making such scenarios rather hard to troubleshoot.

Worst case, your Wi-Fi access point will automatically change the channel to avoid the interference – a misguided strategy, as Bluetooth will hop through all the channels that are used for Wi-Fi anyway, and this may cause you to lose more Wi-Fi traffic. Old devices and computers in particular will need several seconds to reconnect if the access point changes to a different channel.

4. Baby Monitors, Walkie-Talkies and Other Radios

Do you have baby monitors, walkie talkies, or maybe a radio locator to keep track of your pets or keys? Such equipment tends to use the same frequency as the older Wi-Fi standards 802.11 b/g/n and will therefore interfere with the 2.4 GHz band.

Traditionally, this type of equipment does not use Wi-Fi and uses the entire frequency band without any regard to other communication on the same frequency.

5. Microwave Oven

Microwave ovens use electromagnetic waves of 2.4 GHz to heat food. Unfortunately, the older Wi-Fi standards, 802.11 b/g/n also use electromagnetic waves at 2.4 GHz, but with far weaker transmit power.

Although all microwave ovens are well covered, there will always be some degree of “leakage” of waves – a slight leak is not dangerous to humans, but:

Most microwave ovens are at about 1000 W.  Most Wi-Fi access points can transmit a maximum of 0.1 W. Therefore, it does not take much of a leak for the 2.4 GHz band in the area to become unusable.

Physical Obstacles to the Wi-Fi Signals3/3

With shorter range, equipment on the 5 GHz band is more dependent on the having a clear line of sight between the wireless accesspoint/router and the clients; devices and computers connecting to the network.

Some obstacles are simple to remove, and in some cases you may be able to move the access point away from the obstacles. Buildingmaterials in the home are harder to address, however. The solution we recommend to ensure coverage in such cases is a mesh network ofseveral wireless access points that can work their way around the obstacles.

6. Concrete and Masonry Walls

Different building materials block wireless signals to very different degrees. Wi-Fi signals are most weakened by having to go through thickwalls, especially reinforced concrete.

See also: Wi-Fi Signal Loss by Building Material.

7. Thick Timber Walls

Regular wooden walls cause some signal loss, but not a great deal, as you can see in Wi-Fi Signal Loss by Building Material. However, timberwalls have proved to be a significant obstacle to wireless signals.

8. Metal and Floor Heating

When signals have to reach multiple floors, floor heating can create problems for the wireless signals.

And is your router or other wireless access point placed inside a metal cabinet? Get it out of there if you can!

9. Water

Do you use hydronics for heating in your home? Or do you have a really big aquarium? Here the wireless signals will also struggle to get through.

10. The TV

Perhaps the most common cause of weakened Wi-Fi signals – don’t place your router or other wireless access point behind the TV!

Source: Danielsen, Jorunn. “10 Things in Your Home That Interfere with and Block Wi-Fi Signals.” Eye Networks, 11 Apr. 2024, eyenetworks.no/en/10-things-that-disturb-and-block-wi-fi-signals/.