Even if your child is not active on social media, there are other ways that your child’s data can be captured online and in some cases misused. See how and what you can do to protect them.
There are a number of ways that our child’s data is collected. This could be through their interaction with a smart toy, an educational app like ClassDojo or your own social media when posting picture of their milestones. Being aware of how this data is collected is a good starting point to ensuring that your child’s data is protected.
In order to get a broad view of this, the UK Children’s Commissioner release a report ‘Who knows what about me?’ to put a spotlight on the sharing and collection of children’s data.
Why is my child at risk of having their identity stolen?
In the online world children could unwittingly reveal enough personal details like their address and telephone number to enable their identity to be stolen. So it’s really important for children to know how to keep their private information private.
If a child’s identity is stolen it may not be noticed for many years and could in some cases lead to a child being the victim of blackmail, grooming or bullying.
What parents need to know about privacy and identity theft
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Just like adults, children may be at risk of having their online identity stolen or misused. It can be difficult to maintain a child’s privacy as they may not understand what information is safe to share online.
Children can unwittingly reveal too many personal details online, leaving them open to identity theft. A child’s stolen identity may not be noticed for years and could result in blackmail, grooming, or bullying.
Unexplained bills, emails from unrecognized organisations as well as letters regarding government benefits or tax payments may indicate a stolen identity.
According to research by Barclays by 2030 information shared by parents will lead to two-thirds of the identity theft committed against young people. source
