This report investigates how data footprints are being created and exploited online. It involves an exploratory investigation into how data sharing and data regulation practices are impacting citizens: looking into how individuals’ data footprints are created, what people experience when they want to exercise their data rights, and how they feel about how their data is being used.

Key findings:

• The data collected and inferred about users goes far beyond what data people are expecting is held on them.

• Using one website or application is just one point in a chain of companies collecting and buying your data. There can be hundreds or even thousands of different companies which are using your data to target advertising.

• Your data footprint includes wide-ranging assumptions about your characteristics, identity and how you are likely to act in the future: information which is sold on to enable more effective marketing.