In our family, we have made it a rule that a parent always checks the reliability of Internet services before the children can submit information to the site. It is not usually necessary to enter all of the information requested, so we encourage children to provide only the required information.
Many Web sites ask users to register or otherwise provide personal information in order to receive rewards, such as access to a service, participation in a sweepstakes, free merchandise, or the opportunity to participate in a discussion group. Commercial organizations may collect contact information about children and teens for marketing purposes, but they must legally obtain consent before engaging in marketing activities.
However, website administrators may not always keep personal information private, even if that information is protected under the Data Protection Act. Teach your children to be careful when providing personal information.
Tips
- Negotiate an approach with your child
It is often helpful to agree with your child on the principles for sharing personal information online. If your child is allowed to provide this information, you need to know about the trustworthiness of the sites where the information was provided. - Familiarize yourself with privacy policies
We recommend making sure each time you use a service comes with an appropriate privacy policy, which should explain how personal information is used, when it is used, and for what purpose. - Provide only what is required
As a rule, only a small amount of mandatory information is required. When you sign up for a new service, its provider usually asks for permission to do direct marketing. This can be waived at the outset, but in the case of inadvertent consent, it can be revoked by contacting the service provider. If you plan to provide personal information online, it is recommended that you create a family e-mail address for use by adults and children. - Do not save personal information in your browser
We recommend that you do not save personal information or passwords in your Internet browser or other programs connected to the Internet.
Publishing pictures and personal information of children
- Uploading photos taken with a camera or digital camera is quick and easy. When a photo is published online, it is very difficult to prevent it from being distributed, altered, and used in different contexts. Copies of photos can easily end up in several places, and it can be very difficult to remove them completely. Think twice before publishing personal information along with a photo.
- Publishing someone’s photo or other personal information, such as on a school website, involves the disclosure of personal information, which always requires that person’s consent. Anyone disclosing personal information also has the right to have it reviewed and, if necessary, corrected. Children should be cautioned against publishing personal information on their own websites or online diaries (blogs).
Additional Information:
The use of personal information is subject to:
- Data Protection Act.
- Standards for the protection of confidential information and electronic communications
Remember:
- You should not provide personal information unless you know the person who is requesting it and the purposes for which the information will be used.
- Notice of Problem
Inappropriate Marketing.
- If there is a violation of consumer rights, you should contact the consumer protection authorities of your city/region, or go to court. If there is a violation of advertising laws, you should contact the antimonopoly authority in your region.
- Cheating, Fraud, Hate Pages, and Other Illegal Acts
- Forged or false websites, hate sites, attempted email scams, and other illegal activities should be reported to the law enforcement agency in your area.