Understanding Data Privacy for Youth

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There’s something that every child deals with online, and it’s often not discussed as much as other online issues. In light of immediate dangers and risks online, the conversations about data privacy often seem like a lesser threat to our kids. However, our entire family must recognize and understand the importance of what apps, devices, and companies do with our data. 

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For example, every time your child opens an app, scrolls a feed, or taps "agree" on a terms-of-service screen they've never read, data is being collected. Depending on the app or company, a lot of data might be collected. That data can shape what they see, what they're sold, and maybe even who can reach them.

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Families should have conversations about data privacy, but many aren't. Again, with so many other important topics, data privacy doesn’t always make the top of that list. And that’s fair! Eventually, we should talk about data privacy with our kids, and hopefully, before they use their own digital devices or have their own accounts on different apps.

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The Scale of the Privacy Problem

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Let's back up a bit and look at some numbers that should stop us in our tracks.

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According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, nearly all U.S. teens (96%) use the internet every day, and those who say they're online almost constantly have roughly doubled since 2014. Nearly 95% have access to a smartphone. Kids are online almost all the time, and that means their data is active all the time, too.

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So, what are popular apps doing with your kids' data? A 2024 UC Irvine research audit, which won the Best Student Paper Award at a major computing conference, found widespread problems across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Roblox, and Duolingo, including the collection and sharing of personal information without proper parental consent, and the sharing of data with third-party advertising and tracking services without disclosure.

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While not every app our child uses collects data, a good handful of the most popular apps do, and sometimes to a great extent. Because our kids are affected by companies collecting their data, they should understand the value of privacy. 

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What "Data" Actually Means

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When we talk about data, it can feel abstract, like some technical thing for IT departments to worry about. But for kids, data is deeply personal. It includes:

• Their location (where they go to school, where they sleep)
• Their browsing and search history
• Their photos, messages, and voice recordings
• Their biometric identifiers (face ID, voice patterns, even fingerprints)
• Their behavioral patterns, what they click, and how long they linger on content

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The FTC's 2025 update to COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule) specifically added new protections around biometric identifiers and warned companies they cannot retain children's data indefinitely, including for training AI tools. That last part is worth sitting with. Your child's data could be used to train artificial intelligence. Without your knowledge. Without your consent.

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Recently, researchers discovered that AI can extract fingerprint data from something as innocuous as a peace-sign selfie. Let that sink in. A photo you'd post without a second thought could hand over one of your most sensitive biometric identifiers.

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This is the reality of your digital footprint, and it's bigger than most people realize. Every post, comment, like, share, and search adds another data point to an online profile that exists whether you've consented to it or not. Layer in your location history, browsing habits, and biometric data, and the picture becomes startlingly detailed.

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Don't believe it? Google your own name. Then Google your child's. What shows up may surprise you. Our data is being collected constantly. The only question is whether we have any say in how it's used. Wherever possible, the answer should be yes.

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Why Platforms Want Your Child's Data

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I want to be honest with you here, parent to parent: the business model of most free apps is attention and data. The more they know about your child, the better they can predict what will keep your child engaged, and the more valuable that child becomes to advertisers. Many of the platforms are operating with minimal transparency about what they're taking from your family.

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The laws agree. As of 2025, multiple states, including Connecticut, Georgia, and Louisiana, have enacted laws specifically banning targeted advertising to minors and restricting the sale of their personal data.

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What Families Can Do Right Now

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The good news is that you are not powerless. There are active steps you can take to help keep your family safe and aware! Here's how to start:

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1. Read before you tap "agree."

I know, nobody reads terms of service. But for the apps your kids use most, it's worth 10 minutes to understand what you're signing away. Look for data sharing and advertising language. Skim through until you reach the headers related to data. Consider checking our app reviews, where we often mention what’s hiding within privacy policy statements.

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2. Use the settings.

Most platforms have privacy dashboards. On iPhones, go to Settings > Privacy & Security to see what apps are accessing. On Android, check Settings > Privacy. Limit ad tracking wherever possible. This is different from controlling the data apps collect. This is limiting data tracking from the device level itself, which is often more effective. Both are even better! See the next steps below to control app data permissions.

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3. Audit the apps.

Go through the settings in your child's phone together. Or, if they use your phone, check your own settings. See what kind of data your apps are collecting, and decide if that’s needed for the app to function. Here’s how to check these permissions across Apple and Android phones:

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For Apple Devices:

• Open Settings
• Scroll all the way down, and you'll see a list of all installed apps
• Tap the app you want to check
• You'll see every permission that the app has and whether it's on or off
• Toggle any permission off that doesn't make sense for what the app does

For Android Devices:

• Open Settings
• Tap Apps (may also say App Management or Applications)
• Find and tap the app you want to check (tap See all apps if needed)
• Tap Permissions
• Review what's allowed or denied, tap any permission to change it

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‍4. Talk about it.

Your kids need to understand that their data has value, and that giving it away is worth a second thought. Maybe begin the conversation with a question and ask: Have you ever thought about what your apps know about you?

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5. Think twice before posting about your kids.

Here's an uncomfortable truth many parents overlook: we are often the biggest threat to our own children's digital privacy. While we teach our kids never to share personal information with strangers, we routinely broadcast their birthdays, school names, extracurricular activities, and favorite hangout spots to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of followers. That's not a small contradiction. It's a significant one.

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The details we post paint a surprisingly detailed picture of a child's life, one that exists online indefinitely and can be accessed by people we'd never invite into our homes. Before you hit "share," ask yourself: Does this moment need to be public, or would a private text to family feel just as meaningful? Celebrating your kids is natural and beautiful, just consider whether a public audience needs to be part of it. More often than not, the answer is no.

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6. Stay informed.

The Student Privacy Compass and the FTC's resources for parents are excellent starting points for understanding the legal landscape and your rights.

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Closing Thoughts About Kids and Data Privacy

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Data privacy isn't just a tech issue; it's also a parenting issue. The same instinct that makes you lock the front door, check in on who your kids are hanging out with, and read the labels on what they eat applies here, too. Your family's data is valuable, and entire industries are built around collecting it quietly and profiting from it without your knowledge. But awareness is power. The conversations you start today at the dinner table, in the car, while setting up a new app together, are the ones that shape how your kids navigate a digital world that isn't slowing down. You don't have to be a tech expert to protect your family. You just have to pay attention.

What if I have more questions? How can I stay up to date?

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Two actions you can take!

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1. Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. About every 3 weeks, we’ll share what’s new, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.
2. Ask your questions in our private parent community called The Table! It’s not another Facebook group. No ads, no algorithms, no asterisks. Just honest, critical conversations and deep learning! For parents who want to “go slow” together. Become a member today!

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