Long
before they have their first social media account, many children already have a
digital footprint created by the adults around them. ExpressVPN, highlights
five privacy habits parents can introduce early to protect children.
Published
Baby announcements, birthdays and first school pictures celebrate milestones, but can reveal a child’s name, face, school, location and routine. Research involving older children shows why early habits matter. An Information Commissioner’s Office study of more than 4,000 children aged eight to 17 found that 91 per cent of parents use controls or monitoring tools, but 41 per cent of children have tried to bypass them. Almost half of those who tried found it easy. The lessons need to start sooner. For younger children, privacy centres on adults’ choices.
Pause before posting
Before sharing a photograph, look beyond the smiling face. A nursery logo, street sign or name label could reveal more than intended. Regular posts can also show where a child goes and when.
Think about the audience too. Sending a photograph to a trusted relative is different from placing it on a public account, where it can be copied or shared. The National Crime Agency and Internet Watch Foundation have warned that publicly available photographs of children can be manipulated using AI.
ExpressVPN works to prevent access across its network to domains confirmed as hosting child sexual abuse material. Families need not stop sharing special moments, but they should check the image and its audience.
How to help:
Before posting, ask three questions: What does this reveal? Who can see it? Would I be comfortable with my child finding it in the future?
Sending a photograph to a trusted relative is different from placing it on a public account, where it can be copied or shared.
Make consent matter
Babies cannot express a view about a photograph, so adults must decide for them. As children begin to understand, they can gradually be included.
Ask ‘Can I take your picture?’ or ‘May I send this to Grandma?’ Respecting the answer shows that their feelings about their image matter and introduces the idea of boundaries.
‘Children learn privacy through the choices they see us make,’ says Dr Pete Membrey, chief research officer at ExpressVPN. ‘When a parent asks before sharing, explains who will see something and accepts a child’s answer, that’s a real lesson in consent.’
How to help:
Offer age-appropriate choices. A child might approve the photograph, but prefer to choose who receives it, or want an upsetting moment kept private.
Agree rules with other adults
Grandparents, friends, nurseries and activity groups may all want to photograph and share important moments.
Explain your preferences clearly. You might allow photographs in a private family group but not on public social media. Check childcare settings and clubs’ photography policies too.
How to help:
Agree one memorable family rule, such as: ‘Please ask us before sharing any photograph of the children online.’
Check apps, devices and privacy settings
Young children may use a parent’s phone, a family tablet, a learning app or connected toy. Check what information each service requests and whether it needs the camera, microphone, photographs or location.
Use age-appropriate profiles and parental controls, making sure to check the default settings. Remove unnecessary permissions, use strong passwords and install software updates.
As children approach school age, explain why an app is suitable (or not) and why they should ask before downloading something.
How to help:
Review family apps and devices every few months. Delete anything unused and check whether privacy settings have changed.
Keep online activity shared
Using screens together helps adults understand what children watch, play and share. You are much more likely to notice if an app introduces chat or requests personal details.
Talk to your child in simple terms if there is anything that makes you uneasy: You might simply say: ‘We don’t share our full name/ picture’. Always keep the channels of communication open: this is much easier when you are regularly sharing your child’s screen.
How to help:
Keep devices in shared spaces and encourage children to show you what they enjoy online. Curiosity is more likely to keep the conversation open than making every question feel like a check-up.
Start small and revisit the rules
A family privacy policy aims to keep your child safe, but it need not be a lifelong contract. Review your private policy rules when your child enters a new phase, such as starting nursery or school, or receives a new device.
No family will make every decision perfectly. The aim is to build habits that grow with the child, making privacy part of family life rather than a conversation saved for their first phone.
ExpressVPN is a consumer privacy and security company that works with the Internet Watch Foundation to prevent access to known dedicated child sexual abuse material domains across its network.
