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Children

Introduction

Children’s online privacy has become increasingly critical since the widespread adoption of the internet in the 1990s. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 established basic protections, but today’s digital landscape presents unprecedented challenges. From social media and gaming platforms to educational technology and smart devices, children face complex privacy risks that require careful attention from parents and guardians.

Providers

Social Media Platforms

Companies like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have specific policies for users under 13, but their age verification methods are often inadequate. Many platforms collect extensive data about young users’ behaviors and preferences, raising concerns about long-term privacy implications.

Gaming Services

Popular platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite attract millions of young users. While they implement child safety features, these services often struggle with privacy issues related to chat functions, in-game purchases, and data collection.

Educational Technology

Companies like Google Classroom, Canvas, and ClassDojo collect significant data about students’ learning patterns and behaviors. While COPPA and FERPA provide some protections, the integration of AI and analytics raises new privacy concerns.

Parental Control Services

Products like Norton Family, Qustodio, and FamilyTime offer monitoring capabilities but may themselves collect sensitive data about children’s online activities. Some services have faced criticism for excessive data collection and security vulnerabilities.

Recommendations

  1. Use age-appropriate privacy settings on all devices
  2. Monitor and limit data collection by apps and services
  3. Teach children about online privacy and security
  4. Review privacy policies of children’s apps carefully
  5. Use family accounts with parental controls
  6. Regularly check privacy settings on all platforms
  7. Consider privacy-focused alternatives for common services

Actions

  • Enable parental controls on all devices and services
  • Review and adjust privacy settings on social media
  • Install child-safe browsers and search engines
  • Set up family sharing with privacy protections
  • Teach children about safe online behavior
  • Monitor and limit data sharing permissions
  • Create separate profiles for children on shared devices