Imagine that with just one click, every digital activity you make leaves a trace — from the messages you send, the photos you delete, to the websites you’ve visited. In today’s fully digital era, every action in cyberspace can become evidence. You may think that a deleted photo on the internet is gone forever, but in reality, digital footprints can always be traced back.
A recent example is the Sea Turtle Egg Trade Case in Pontianak (Fisheries), which relied heavily on digital evidence. In this case, the perpetrators didn’t always meet face-to-face; instead, they used smartphones to communicate through WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, or even dark marketplaces. From a single suspect, investigators were able to trace suppliers, buyers, and distribution routes through digital data such as chats, bank accounts, maps, and emails. Transaction evidence like screenshots or other digital records also played a crucial role, as without them, it would be difficult to prove financial gains and money flows from smuggling activities.
Why Digital Footprints Never Disappear
- Hard to Erase
Even when a post is deleted, archives, caches, or screenshots often still exist. - Digital Forensics Can Recover Data
With digital forensic techniques, files and data can be easily restored, allowing investigators to obtain solid evidence. - Data Is Stored in Multiple Locations
In digital systems, data is stored across various places — service provider servers, cloud backups, network logs, and even devices of people who have received your messages. - Institutions and Systems Automatically Store Data
Telecommunication operators, email providers, and social media platforms are required to retain logs for a certain period of time.
The saying “digital footprints never disappear” serves as a warning that the internet has a long memory. The law of cause and effect is real — what we do today may come back to us in the future.
In this fast-paced digital age, digital forensics plays a vital role not only in uncovering crimes but also in upholding justice that is often invisible to the naked eye. Maintaining digital security is not merely about protecting ourselves from threats, but also about realizing that the virtual world has laws that can and should be enforced.
Remember — one click can be traced, and your digital footprint can become a witness between truth and wrongdoing.