Today's Edition
Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti*
Statistics released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) show that 2025 alone recorded an increase of more than 240 million new Internet users, bringing the global total to approximately 6 billion people, or nearly 75% of the world’s population, compared with 5.8 billion users in 2024. This reflects steady progress in expanding Internet connectivity worldwide. However, despite the importance of fast and continuous online access, this expansion has been accompanied by growing risks, particularly cyber risks, including those related to individuals’ digital footprints, especially when such risks are overlooked or treated casually.
Every day, hundreds of millions of people browse the internet and carry out a wide range of activities that now permeate every aspect of modern life, from work and education to daily routines, financial transactions, food delivery, and entertainment. Each online interaction, whether logging into an account, ordering services or gifts, using social media platforms, or accessing email, leaves behind a digital trace.
These digital footprints can be tracked and exploited by cybercriminals, enabling them to access sensitive personal and financial information. What may begin as routine browsing can, therefore, escalate into identity theft, phishing attacks, data breaches, and the loss of personal privacy.
Technological advancement, in this sense, represents two sides of the same coin. While it delivers efficiency and convenience, it also carries significant risks if users are not mindful of its implications. With the widespread adoption of smartphones and digital applications that now intersect with nearly all aspects of personal and professional life, any breach of these technologies poses a direct threat to individuals and their livelihoods. A single mistake, whether due to negligence, lack of attention, complacency, or excessive trust, can result in the loss of personal data, financial savings, or critical files and information.
Accordingly, paying attention to one’s digital footprint is no longer a secondary concern or a luxury. It does not require complex procedures, costly tools, or advanced technical expertise; rather, it depends on consistent awareness and regular follow-up to ensure digital safety in cyberspace. Individuals are, therefore, encouraged to periodically update settings on their mobile phones and personal devices, reduce their digital footprints by reviewing privacy settings across all connected devices and exercise caution before sharing personal information on any website or application, including social media platforms and artificial intelligence applications. Regularly reviewing permissions granted to applications, closing unused accounts, using secure methods to store passwords, and avoiding linking accounts unless absolutely necessary are also essential practices.
For these reasons, managing digital footprints should evolve into a societal culture that contributes to reducing cyber risks through sustained, comprehensive and periodic reviews of individuals’ digital presence in cyberspace. Individuals should adopt these practices as regular habits, dedicating time on a weekly or monthly basis to clean their mobile devices, delete unused applications, close neglected accounts, review privacy settings and application permissions, verify personal social media accounts and update their passwords, as well as review email accounts, both personal and work-related. In addition, financial applications should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are adequately secured to protect individuals’ savings and assets.
*The writer is the Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government
