HEALTH & SAFETY
How to Protect Your Child’s Privacy Online
What personal information includes, how to check an app before use, and questions to ask before posting about a child.
Personal information is more than a full name
A child’s location, school or team, schedule, face, voice, birthday, email, username, device identifier, and repeated background details can identify or track them. COPPA gives U.S. parents control over certain data collected by child-directed online services for children under 13, but adults still need to evaluate permissions and sharing.
Check the app and account before the child starts
Read the privacy notice, confirm the developer and age rating, and ask what data is collected, why it is needed, who receives it, and whether it can be deleted. Disable location, camera, microphone, contacts, and tracking permissions that are not necessary for the activity.
- Private profile
- Minimal permissions
- No school or location in usernames
- Parent-approved downloads
- Secure recovery information
Pause before adults post too
Ask whether the post reveals location, routine, health, school, embarrassment, or a detail the child may want private later. Let older children have a voice in what is shared. Avoid public posts about discipline, medical information, nudity, toileting, or vulnerable moments.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
A simple plan to begin
- Review current app permissions
- Remove identifying profile details
- Set accounts private by default
- Ask four privacy questions before posting a child
COMMON QUESTIONS
Helpful answers before you go
Does COPPA make every child app safe?
No. COPPA sets U.S. requirements for certain data collection from children under 13; it does not guarantee content quality, security, or that every service follows the rule.
Is a private social account completely private?
No. Privacy settings reduce the audience, but approved viewers can still copy, save, or reshare content. Post only what you can accept leaving the intended circle.
TRUSTED SOURCES
Official guidance and product information
Product specifications can change. Confirm current details with the manufacturer before buying.
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