Children's safety in the face of new technologies

A mobile phone, a smartwatch, an interactive toy that has access to the Internet are gifts that are increasingly replacing traditional toys, such as mascots, balls or bicycles. On the occasion of Children's Day, it is worth considering whether a given gadget is appropriate for our child and what we need to pay attention to so that the use of such devices does not violate their privacy and does not collect data about them.

A phone for fun, sometimes for communication

Almost every child wants to have a mobile phone. However, the reason is not the desire to contact loved ones, but the games, social media, and streaming services available on it. There are many risks associated with using it – the most serious is addiction. There are also others, such as the threat to privacy associated with the processing of excessive data about the phone user.

Therefore, the parent or guardian of the child should have control over what games and applications the child will use. Whenever we install applications on mobile devices, it is necessary for them to process personal data. The problem is that sometimes these data can be excessive. Therefore, you should read all the information provided by the provider of a given game or application. This is especially important when the basis for collecting and using data is our consent. In order to be considered correct, it must be expressed voluntarily, and parents must be aware of what exactly they are agreeing to.

Some games require permission to access a wide range of features on your device. Including the list of installed apps, how you use your device, its location, and contacts. All this under the pretext of adapting the programme to the needs of users. However, applications should not acquire more data than is necessary for their proper operation.

Smartwatch – a cool gadget

Parents buy a smartwatch for their child so that on the one hand the child has a modern gadget, and on the other hand, to have a tool to control their child. These devices have a GPS module that allows you to monitor your child's location and even send notifications when your child leaves a defined zone. However, location data can be shared not only with parents. Therefore, it is worth reading the information obligation posted by the controller.

Some of these devices have a built-in camera, which can also lead to privacy violations. This makes you think about how and where to use the specific functions of such a watch.

Computer games and data

Often the child receives from their parents a dream game or add-ons that make the game more attractive. Just playing may not seem threatening for data protection. However, nowadays most games are offered by special gaming platforms where you need to have an account. Such services often collect data on what and how long the user plays, what achievements she/he has in a given game, and even information about the computer hardware she/he has.

So it's worth looking at the settings of the account that your child uses. There you can configure the scope of shared data and limit it if you do not want to share it with the service provider.

Another data risk is that some online games, inter alia those that can be played over the internet with other users, have built-in modules that allow you to communicate with other players. Such tools are used not only by players, but also by fraudsters who may try to extort data about the child and their parents, and even payment card data connected to the service.

Cybercriminals impersonating game producers is also a threat. Such activities can be aimed at: extorting personal data, identity theft, extorting money or infecting devices with malware.

Interactive toys

There are various types of toys available on the market, such as dolls and mascots with a built-in microphone, speaker and even a camera, used to interact with the child. Some of them also have internet connectivity and can be configured via a mobile app. In such a situation, one should check whether the product can send data to the manufacturer's servers.

Most often, these types of devices have the ability to turn off the microphone or camera. It is worth doing this when the child is not playing with the toy.

Education and education again

When choosing a modern gadget as a gift for a child, parents should get information about the product themselves. Not only how to operate it, but what the collection and processing of data by the manufacturer or provider looks like. Sometimes it is worth browsing thematic websites or forums, where internet users have already been able to share their observations and doubts about a given product.

Let's talk to children, teach them how to use a particular gift correctly. Let's warn them to consult it with their parent before installing a new game. Let's make them aware of communication on the Internet, so that they do not give information about themselves to strangers.

Everyone should be aware that you should use sufficiently strong passwords for online services, and change them from time to time. And when we or a child have a lot of services and passwords to remember, password managers can come to our aid, inter alia programmes that will remember long and complicated and at the same time diverse passwords for many services. It is also a good idea to use antivirus software on your children's devices.

It is worth educating children about the safe use of modern gadgets and discussing the dangers of using data. These include, inter alia:

• Profiling behavior, to then arouse the need to buy another gadget or game tailored to our tastes;
• Selling data about us to other entities – most often also for marketing purposes;
• Identity theft – i.e. impersonating someone in order to commit a crime using their data;
• Loss of access to your social media account or gaming platform, which is tantamount to losing the games you have purchased;
• Blocking the phone by cybercriminals;
• Loss of money from a debit/credit card connected to various services.

Let our children have fun while ensuring their safety and privacy.