Quick insights for a smarter digital life

By Mrs Hudson-Findley (Director of Digital Learning, Enterprise and Sustainability)

Continuing our regular Digital Bites feature, which cuts through the noise to explain the digital tools shaping how we work, learn and live, this week we highlight the data you may be giving away without realising.

Every time we use a free app, a social platform or an AI tool, we are not just using a service. We are taking part in a data exchange. Searches, messages, documents, location and browsing behaviour all become part of the digital footprint that powers modern technology.

That matters because data is what trains algorithms, drives targeted advertising and increasingly shapes automated decisions. For young people, those traces can follow them for years.

Not all tools behave in the same way. Some, such as Google’s NotebookLM, work only with the documents you upload and do not train on wider user data. Many social and free apps, however, collect behavioural data to refine their systems or fund the service.

Three simple habits help:

• Before using a new app, scan the privacy section for what it collects and whether it shares data with third parties.
• Turn off optional permissions like location, microphone or contacts unless they are genuinely needed.
• Encourage family members to pause before uploading photos, writing personal details or pasting schoolwork into open tools.

In a data-driven world, small choices make a big difference. Understanding where information flows is now a core part of digital literacy.