Audit your digital footprint

You are chatting with a sceptical friend who thinks the concerns about digital privacy are overblown. He has just said he finds the fuss about auditing digital footprints baffling, and wonders what there is to complain about if a service is free. Your task is to respond using the lesson's phrases, with the goal of conducting a careful, candid discussion of the value and hidden cost of so-called free services. Aim to take a step back from the immediate context, name the hidden cost, acknowledge your friend's legitimate point about convenience, and draw a measured conclusion. You may also, where appropriate, push back gently on the formulation 'if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear' if your friend raises it.