The Potential of Digital Footprint Data for Health & Wellbeing Research

Digital footprint data is inspiring a new era in population health and wellbeing research. Linking this novel data with other datasets is critical for future research wishing to harness its potential for public good. In order to do this, successful collaboration among industry, academics, and policymakers is vital. Therefore, this Viewpoint discusses the benefits and obstacles for these stakeholder groups in using digital footprints data. We advocate for policymakers' inclusion in research efforts, stress the exceptional potential of digital footprints research to impact policymaking, and explore the role of industry as data providers with a focus on shared value and streamlined processes. We underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches and ethical considerations in navigating challenges related to novel data linkages, and call for increased public engagement to enhance acceptability of digital footprints research. Finally, we highlight the significance of reproducibility and sharing of learnings, and advocate for collaboration as a critical factor in fostering the widespread use of digital footprint data. Incorporating these principles will ensure that the transformative potential of digital footprint data is fully harnessed, establishing a foundation for reproducible, ethical, and impactful research in this groundbreaking field.