What is the purpose of the footer tag in HTML?

The purpose of the footer tag in HTML is to define the website's footer content. This element is specifically designed to enclose information that is typically found at the bottom of a web page, such as copyright information, contact details, links to privacy policies, or social media icons. Utilizing the footer tag enhances semantic HTML, making it clear to browsers and assistive technologies that the content contained within is relevant to the footer section of the page. This semantic clarity also contributes to better SEO practices as it allows search engines to understand the structure and content of a webpage more effectively.

Other elements of the question may relate to aspects of web design, but the footer tag is distinct in its specific role in marking the footer area, differentiating it from content designated for headers, navigation, or main body content.