Teaching Kids About Digital Privacy

A guide to helping children understand the importance of protecting personal information in an increasingly connected digital world.

1. Defining Personal Information. Many parents find success by starting with concrete examples of what constitutes private data. Rather than using technical jargon, parents often explain that personal information is anything that could identify who they are, where they live, or how to contact them offline. This includes full names, home addresses, school names, phone numbers, and even photos that reveal their location. By framing this as a 'digital footprint'—a trail of information that stays online—children can better visualize how their actions today might impact their future digital presence.
2. Approaches to Digital Boundaries. Families often approach digital privacy through either a 'closed' or 'open' model. In a closed model, parents may manage all account privacy settings and restrict data sharing strictly, providing a safe sandbox for exploration. This approach often emphasizes safety but may limit the child’s opportunity to learn self-regulation. In an open model, parents and children review privacy settings together, discussing why certain permissions are requested by apps and websites. Research suggests that involving children in these decisions helps them develop critical thinking skills regarding data collection and the tradeoffs between convenience and privacy.