Perception is the base of all human interaction (Asch, 1946; Fiske, 2018; Fiske et al., 2007). Humans form their impressions on a multitude of factors, such as social identity, gender, stereotypes, and context-specific clues (see Balcetis & Moskowitz, 2022 for an overview). These impressions are further impacted by the implicit biases and imperfect decision-making processes most individuals often foster (Greenwald et al., 1998; Kahneman, 2011). Furthermore, first impressions are paramount (Asch, 1955; Forgas & Laham, 2016; Thorndike, 1920), and humans struggle to update information they have already stored and/or chose to believe (Festinger, 1957; Harmon-Jones & Mills, 2019; Kim et al., 2020). The internet and social media platforms have further impacted these processes and fundamentally changed how individuals develop and maintain relationships. As of February 2025, 63.9% of the world population uses social media daily, with the average user spending 2 hours and 21 minutes per day browsing these platforms (Kemp, 2025). In-person interactions have largely been taken online, automatically transcribing our words for future reference. Other tasks have also transitioned into increasingly digital platforms, such as jobs, shopping, and entertainment consumption. All this activity is often stored publicly and indefinitely, creating a computer-based record of one’s life. These digital footprints, as they are referred to, raise a large number of questions pertaining to how humans interact within and with the online world. This chapter will explore how digital platforms have changed human relations, what digital footprints are, and how they can impact the lives of the individuals creating them.

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