Protecting Children While They Are Online

Now that kids are on summer vacation, it’s highly likely that they will be on the computer, smartphone, or tablet a lot more than usual.  As parents, it’s our jobs to keep them safe and to protect their privacy.  When your child downloads a new app, please review the app and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Who decides which apps your child downloads?

Consider using parental control apps and restriction setting on the devices.  To find parental control apps, search for “parental control” in the app store to find an app that meets your needs.  On the computer, smartphone, or tablet the parental control option is usually in the settings menu.

2. Is he app legitimate? If so, what information does the app collect, and what does it do with that information?

There’s a couple of ways this can be accomplished.  First, research the app to see how many people downloaded it and check the user’s rating.  If it looks suspicious then don’t download the app.  Second, read the privacy policies, terms of use, and permissions to familiarize yourself with the data’s policy to help you feel comfortable letting your child download the app.

3. Is the app complying with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?

COPPA requires the app to get parental consent before they collect or share certain information from children under the age of 13.  The Federal Trade Commission enforces COPPA, and encourages parents to report apps that are breaking the rules.

4. How does the app make money?

Some app developers make money by charging users when they download the app while other apps are free to download but cost money while using the app.  If the app is a game and your child needs money to unlock the next level, more than likely you will be paying to use what you thought was a free app.

5. Are you familiar with the device’s security settings, online safety basics, and cyberbullying?

To keep you up to date on all these topics by researching the following:

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Fact Sheets:

-   Privacy in the Age of the Smartphone

-   Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely

-   Social Networking Privacy: How to be Safe, Secure and Social

-   Securing Your Computer to Maintain Your Privacy

Common Sense Media

-   Cyberbullying

-   Internet Safety

Federal Trade Commission:

-   Kids and Mobile Phones