In a world where children have become part of the digital environment from an early age, protecting their data is no longer a luxury, but an urgent necessity. From electronic games to education and communication platforms, children leave a “digital footprint” that may be used in ways they are unaware of, imposing a significant responsibility on parents, companies, and even governments.
What is meant by children's data?
Children's data includes any information that can be used to identify or recognize them, such as: name, age, photos and videos, geographic location, school information, digital behavior (what they watch or play).
These data are considered more sensitive than adult data because children are less aware of the risks of sharing it. Children's data needs special protection for many important reasons; the lack of awareness, as they do not realize the consequences of sharing their information, and the ease of targeting, as they can be exploited through advertisements or online fraud and blackmail, especially through pictures or conversations.
It is also worth mentioning that the main risks threatening children's data are:
1. Free applications and games
Many games request permissions to access the camera or location and collect data without adequate supervision.
2. Social media
Posting pictures and personal information may expose the child to bullying or exploitation.
3. Targeted advertising
Some companies use children's data to target them with ads that affect their behavior and decisions.
4. Data leaks
In the event of an app or platform hack, sensitive information may be leaked.
What are the laws that protect children's data?
There are global regulations focused on protecting children’s data, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, which imposes strict conditions for the collection of children's data, and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States, which prohibits the collection of children’s data without parental consent.
Such laws emphasize the necessity of parental consent and impose penalties on non-compliant companies.
As for the role of parents in protecting their children's data, parents are the first line of defense, and they can take practical steps such as monitoring the apps the child uses, activating privacy settings on devices, educating the child not to share their personal information, preventing the use of apps inappropriate for their age, and continuously monitoring their digital activity.
It is also necessary to mention the role of companies and apps as companies are also responsible for protecting children's data by minimizing data collection and clearly requesting parental consent, in addition to providing privacy settings that are easy to use, and not exploiting children's data in advertisements.
And the most prominent question within the protection of this sensitive group is how do we practically protect children?
• Use child-specific accounts.
• Do not share child pictures publicly.
• Teach the child that the internet is not always a safe place.
• Use parental control software.
• Limit device usage time.
Let's not forget that the challenges in protecting children's data are highlighted by the rapid development of technology, difficulty in verifying user age, lack of digital awareness among some parents, and the proliferation of untrustworthy apps, thus, protecting children’s data is a shared responsibility among parents, the community, and companies. As children's use of the internet increases, it becomes necessary to enhance digital awareness and establish clear controls to ensure a safe environment for them. Because every piece of information shared today could impact their future tomorrow.
