Children are being 'datafied from birth'

By ITS Education Asia

A recent BBC news article discusses a worrying trend in data collection of children.  “The children's commissioner for England is calling on internet giants and toy-makers to be more transparent about the data they are collecting on children.”  The UK government is being urged to improve its data protection laws to help protect young children.  The same should be considered in Hong Kong.

The report says:

• children should be taught in schools about how their data is collected and for what purposes
• where a toy collects any video or audio generated by a child, this should be made explicit in a prominent part of the packaging or its accompanying information
• using language children understand, companies should explain clearly in their terms and conditions what data is collected and how it will be used

The report estimates:

• between the ages of 11 and 16, children post on social media 26 times a day, on average
• by the time they reach adulthood, they are likely to have posted 70,000 times
• by the age of 13, a child's parents will have posted on average 1,300 photos and videos of them to social media

To read the full article please visit:  

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46112665