The Importance of Online Privacy for Children
Parents should treat their children’s online privacy with the same caution as stranger danger and road safety, according to a recent warning from a regulatory body. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has highlighted that new research indicates three out of four parents are concerned about their child’s ability to make safe online privacy decisions.
According to an ICO survey of 1,000 UK parents with children aged between four and 11 years old, conducted in February, 35% of parents believe their child would share personal information in exchange for game tokens or rewards. This concern is supported by findings that show 22% of children have shared personal information such as health details with AI tools, while 24% have shared their real name or address online. Notably, eight and nine-year-olds are most at risk.
The UK’s data protection regulator has initiated a campaign aimed at helping parents of children aged four to 11 start simple conversations about protecting their personal information online. Online privacy encompasses not only obvious details like a child’s name, age, and location but also less apparent information such as browsing history, purchases, photos, voice notes, and social media or gaming activity.
Parents are encouraged by the ICO’s campaign to view online privacy as an essential life skill, one that should be as natural as teaching a child to cross the road. The regulator emphasizes that a single click can reveal friendships, interests, moods, and even sleep patterns, creating a digital footprint that can last forever—or potentially be exploited by individuals with harmful intentions.
The ICO noted that many parents feel underprepared, with 46% of survey respondents stating they don’t feel confident protecting their children’s privacy online. Additionally, 44% of parents try but aren’t sure they’re doing enough, and 42% probably don’t spend enough time checking their child’s privacy settings.
Emily Keaney, deputy commissioner of the ICO, stated that many families have never been shown how to talk to their children about online privacy and that it requires a whole society approach. She added, “The internet offers amazing opportunities for children—but every click can leave a hidden data trail and these digital footprints can last forever.”
The ICO reported that its research suggests online privacy is one of the “least discussed online safety topics,” with 21% of parents having never spoken to their children about it and 38% discussing it less than once a month. In contrast, 90% of parents have discussed screen time in the past month.
Dame Rachel de Souza, children’s commissioner for England, emphasized that everyone has a role to play in protecting children from these dangers. She said, “Too often we are playing catch up, this is why it is important that parents feel confident having early, everyday conversations with children about the risks of being online and how to respond if something makes them uncomfortable.”
She also stressed that tech companies must be held accountable for prioritizing profits over protections. “They must be required to design services that prioritise children’s safety and privacy by design,” she said.
According to the survey, 88% of parents think children should start learning about online privacy between the ages of four and 11. Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet, noted that many parents are already talking to their children about harmful content or screen time, but privacy often gets overlooked. She added, “As concerns grow about how children’s data is used online, families are looking for clear, practical guidance to help them start those conversations with confidence.”
The ICO is the UK’s independent data protection regulator, and under UK law, children’s personal information must be given special protection.
