Parents Urged to Teach Online Privacy as a Vital Life Skill
Parents should instruct their children on online privacy with the same importance as teaching stranger danger or road safety, according to the UK's data regulator.
This advice follows research conducted by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which revealed that three in four parents worry their child is unable to make safe decisions regarding online privacy.
ICO Launches Campaign to Encourage Family Conversations on Privacy
The ICO has initiated a campaign encouraging families to engage in straightforward discussions about protecting personal information online. The campaign was prompted by findings that privacy is among the least addressed topics in online safety conversations.
The campaign highlights growing concerns about how social media and digital technologies affect children's wellbeing, safety, and development.
It emphasizes that online privacy education should be regarded as an essential life skill, "as natural as teaching a child to cross the road."
Survey Highlights Children's Vulnerability to Sharing Personal Information
In a survey of 1,000 UK parents with children aged four to 11, 35% believed their child might "share personal information in exchange for game tokens or rewards."
The research also found that 22% of children had shared personal details such as health information with AI tools, while 24% had shared their real name or address online. Children aged eight and nine were identified as the most vulnerable group.
Experts Stress Need for Societal Approach to Online Privacy Education
Emily Keaney, deputy commissioner at the ICO, noted that many families have "never been shown how to talk to their children about online privacy," and stressed that addressing this issue requires a "whole society approach."
"Many parents are already talking to their children about harmful content or screen time, but privacy often gets overlooked," said Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet.
"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."
Parental Discussions on Privacy Lag Behind Other Online Safety Topics
The ICO's February survey revealed that 21% of parents had never discussed online privacy with their children, and 38% did so less than once a month. In contrast, 90% had talked about screen time with their children in the past month.
The ICO defines online privacy to include children's name, age, address, photos, browsing history, voice notes, as well as social media and gaming activity.
Children's Commissioner Highlights Importance of Early Conversations
Dame Rachel de Souza, children's commissioner for England, emphasized the need for parents to feel confident initiating early and routine conversations about online risks.
"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."
