By Siddharth Pai
Children’s engagement with the online world has transformed rapidly over the past few years, particularly in the wake of the smartphone and pandemic-led digital migration of teaching. The internet has swiftly transitioned from being an educational aid to a digital playground filled with interactive games, social media platforms, and comprehensive learning apps. Yet, the dazzle often masks the lurking danger of data breaches, cyber-bullying, and the invasion of privacy.
The centrality of technology in children’s lives is not without implications. Every interaction online, be it an innocent social media post or an educational quiz result, produces vast amounts of data. These data, in the wrong hands, could potentially result in long-lasting impacts on their privacy, their self-esteem, and even their physical safety. It is thus imperative to create robust safeguards to ensure our children’s digital well-being.
Securing our children’s digital future is not the sole responsibility of any single entity. It requires a collective, concerted effort from governments, educational institutions, parents, and technology firms. Children’s online data protection is not just about shielding them from the current threats but about preparing them for an increasingly digitised future.
On June 6, 2023, there was news that Microsoft Inc. will pay $20 million in fines to settle US charges of illegally collecting children’s data. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had charged that the firm illegally collected and retained data from children who signed up to use the company’s Xbox video game console. According to the FTC, the actions violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, https://abcn.ws/43AERRg). While governments are beginning to act, and legislation like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and COPPA provide valuable frameworks, these are not enough. Abdicating control to governments to set and enforce laws cannot provide enough defence. Parents, schools and tech firms have to be active participants in this endeavour.
Educational institutions are at the frontline of this digital wave and bear significant responsibility. Schools must actively educate their students about the importance of online data privacy. Such education can begin by teaching children to navigate privacy settings, recognise phishing attempts, and understand the potential implications of sharing personal data. Digital literacy is as important as any subject in today’s curriculum and must be treated with equal importance.
Parents, too, play a crucial role in this endeavour. Just as parents guide their children in the physical world, so must they in the digital realm. Parents should discuss the benefits and risks associated with online platforms, instilling a sense of digital responsibility. They can also use child-friendly search engines and monitor online activity to ensure a safe experience. My sister Dr Seeta Pai has a doctorate from Harvard University in child psychology and human development, and has incorporated many restrictions, checks and balances on how her children, now teenagers, use the internet. She was lucky enough to have children well after the debut of the smartphone, and some time after the negatives of social media and other dangers lurking online had been documented and studied.
Seeta worked for some years for a non-profit media watchdog called Common Sense Media in San Francisco (bit.ly/3MVItGy). Common Sense claims to be the leading independent non-profit organisation dedicated to helping children thrive in a world of media and technology. The organisation says it empowers parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all children’s lives. According to Common Sense, today’s children, at least in the US, have over 50 hours of screen time every week. The organisation believes that the media content children consume and create has a profound impact on their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. While learning how to use media and technology wisely is an essential skill for life and learning in the 21st century, Common Sense says that parents, teachers, and policymakers struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing digital world in which our children live and learn. Seeta says that the balanced and guided use of technology can be beneficial for children’s learning. She thinks a nutritional analogy is apt. Just like you wouldn’t ban all food, you pay attention to your children’s media diet—its “nutritional” content, and how it matches your child’s needs. But she confirms that this can be very hard for parents to do.
Technology firms and developers need to prioritise data privacy in their product designs. It’s high time to switch from the current data-hungry model to a privacy-centric one. Incorporating features like default privacy settings, anonymous user data, and encrypted communications can create a safer digital space for children.
We must also actively advocate for the use of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs). Techniques like data minimisation, anonymisation, and pseudonymisation can help in preventing data misuse. Furthermore, by implementing blockchain, we can ensure data immutability and control the data’s lineage, much as blockchain’s ‘non-fungible tokens’ protect the provenance of digital art. That said, enforcing stringent data privacy rules should not come at the cost of children’s online freedom. Instead, it should enhance their ability to interact, learn, and grow in a secure environment. It’s about finding the right balance—not stifling creativity and exploration, but ensuring it takes place within a safe boundary.
We should remember that we are not just protecting data; we are protecting dreams, ideas, and the individuals that our children are becoming. With the right tools, knowledge, and practices, we can build a safe digital playground for them. Their virtual tomorrow starts with our actions today.
The author is Technology consultant and venture capitalist (By invitation)