A Systematic Literature Review on Digital Footprints: Implications, Risks, and Best Practices

Abstract

The increase in usage of digital technologies has led to the surge in personal information getting stored on the web. This online presence leaves a mark or data traces, commonly referred to as digital footprints, which are used to access user behaviour, user personality, their thinking patterns and are widely used in many fields. Notwithstanding, the continuous generation and collection of such personal data also raise concerns related to privacy, data misuse, and cyber threats. This study presents a thorough analysis of existing research on digital footprints. A comprehensive set of methodologies used for study show that the volume of data has been increased at a very high rate. This review covers applicable literature from 2015 to 2025 to highlight key patterns in user behaviour. The findings show that even though digital footprints support data-driven decision-making, they also place users at risk of identity theft, cyberbullying, and privacy violations. The review also focuses on the fact of less user awareness and complex policies by platforms. The study highlights requirements for enhanced digital proficiency and awareness amongst individuals, a simplified privacy structure, and stronger data management frameworks. The results provide an integrated overview of current research and emphasize the areas where more work is required in the future for digital footprint protection.