Digital traces as a resource for economic analysis

Digitalization of economic activity is creating a new information environment in which economic agents leave persistent digital traces. This article explores the conceptual foundations and practical applications of digital traces in applied and academic analytics. The potential of digital traces as a tool for monitoring and forecasting economic activity is substantiated. Examples of their use in marketing, risk management, and consumer behavior analysis are provided. Special attention is paid to the limitations, including legal regulation issues, ethical processing of personal data, and methodological risks of interpretation. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of institutional and methodological support for the processes of collecting and analyzing digital traces to ensure their effective integration into economic knowledge.