Introduction
Protecting children’s personal information online is a critical responsibility for any organization or platform that interacts with minors. Young users are more vulnerable to privacy risks, and regulators around the world have strict rules to safeguard children’s data. Adopting a privacy-by-design approach – collecting minimal data, securing it thoroughly, and respecting user rights – is not just about legal compliance, but about ethical responsibility. The following best practices outline how to handle children’s information with care, covering data collection, parental consent, data storage and deletion, third-party considerations, and the overarching principle that privacy is a form of care.
Collect Only What You Need
Data minimization is a core principle when handling children’s information. Organizations should collect only the personal data necessary to provide their service or feature – nothing more (bigid.com). Limiting data collection reduces the risk of sensitive information being misused or exposed in a breach. For example, if a child-friendly mobile game only needs a username and avatar, it should not ask for details like birth date or home address. Avoid collecting extraneous details (such as exact location, full name, or school name) unless they are essential for the child’s use of the service. By minimizing data collection, you not only simplify compliance with laws, but also build trust with parents and users, who will appreciate a platform that respects their privacy.
In practice, implementing data minimization involves reviewing each data field you plan to collect and asking, “Do we truly need this to serve the child’s best interests?” (bigid.com). Many successful children’s apps and educational websites use creative solutions to avoid personal data collection – for instance, generating random user IDs instead of using email addresses. Remember that under regulations like the EU’s GDPR, data minimization isn’t just good practice but a requirement: you cannot collect more data than needed for the purpose the child is actively engaged in (ico.org.uk). The same trend is seen in the U.S., where regulators also stress minimizing data collection in children’s privacy rules. Ultimately, collecting only what you need greatly reduces liability and demonstrates respect for your young users’ privacy.
Obtain Guardian Consent for Minors
When your users are children, verifiable parental or guardian consent is often legally required before collecting or using any personal information. In the United States, for example, COPPA mandates that companies obtain parental consent before collecting personal data from children under 13 years old (www.ftc.gov). This means simply having a child check a box is not enough – you must take extra steps to ensure a parent or guardian is genuinely authorizing the data collection. Methods for verification can include having the parent sign a form, use a credit card or ID verification, or respond to an email or phone call, as long as it’s reasonably calculated to confirm the person giving consent is an adult with authority (www.termsfeed.com). The key is that the consent process should be robust and documented.
Beyond the U.S., many other jurisdictions have similar requirements. The EU’s GDPR, for instance, generally requires parental consent for processing personal data of children under 16, though some member countries set this age as low as 13 (wl.cookie-script.com). This is sometimes referred to as “GDPR-K,” highlighting rules specific to kids’ data. No matter the region, you need to clearly explain to parents what data you collect, why you need it, and how it will be used – all in language they can easily understand. Provide an accessible privacy policy and a direct notice whenever you’re seeking consent for a child’s data. Each consent should be recorded and stored (with date and method) in case you need to prove later that you obtained proper permission (wl.cookie-script.com). Remember that consent isn’t a one-time hurdle: if you significantly change data practices or introduce new features that collect data, you may need to obtain fresh consent. And if at any point a parent withdraws consent, you must honor that decision promptly, deleting the child’s data if requested.
Store Data Securely and Set Deletion Schedules
Collecting children’s personal information comes with an obligation to protect it with strong security measures. This includes using encryption for data at rest and in transit, safeguarding databases with proper access controls, and regularly auditing who has access to sensitive information. Keep in mind that children’s data can be particularly sensitive – exposure of a child’s full name, photos, or location can pose safety risks. Maintaining confidentiality, security, and integrity of children’s information is a must (www.ftc.gov), and many privacy laws explicitly require “reasonable” security measures. For instance, COPPA obligates operators to take reasonable steps to protect the data and only release it to parties capable of maintaining its confidentiality and security (www.ftc.gov). A notorious example underscoring the importance of security is the VTech breach of 2015, where hackers accessed the personal data of 6.4 million children and 4.9 million parents (www.mondaq.com). Such breaches can erode user trust overnight and invite regulatory penalties, so investing in solid security is non-negotiable.
Another critical aspect of data management is data retention and deletion. Don’t keep children’s personal data longer than necessary. Set up a deletion schedule or retention policy that defines how long you will retain different types of data, and purge it once that period is over or the data is no longer needed for its original purpose. In fact, under laws like COPPA, you are required to delete personal information once it’s no longer needed for the purpose it was collected – even if a parent doesn’t explicitly request it (www.ftc.gov). For example, if a child subscribes to an online learning platform and later their parent cancels the subscription, the service should securely erase the child’s personal details after a defined grace period. Ensure that deletion is done securely – simply removing references in a database might not be enough; you should use methods that properly destroy or anonymize the data so it cannot be recovered. Regularly review your stored data and purge what you don’t need. Not only does this reduce risk, it also signals to users that you respect their privacy by not stockpiling personal information indefinitely.
Audit Third-Party Tools
Modern websites and apps often rely on third-party services – analytics providers, advertising networks, plug-ins, cloud storage, and more. When children’s data is involved, it’s essential to audit and monitor all third-party tools integrated into your product. Each third party that can collect or process data from your users should be scrutinized for their privacy practices (www.ftc.gov). You need to determine what information they gather, how they use it, and ensure it aligns with your own privacy commitments and legal obligations. Importantly, if any third-party is collecting personal data from kids (even something as basic as a persistent identifier or cookie), you may be required to disclose this to parents and get consent before that data flows to the third party (www.ftc.gov). If a third-party service cannot meet the high standards of children’s privacy protection, it should either be configured to limit data collection or avoided altogether in kid-focused services.
A real-world example illustrates why vigilance with third parties is crucial: in 2020, the FTC fined the developer HyperBeard for allowing advertising networks in its child-directed apps to collect personal data (like device IDs for behavioral ads) without parental consent (techcrunch.com). The presence of those trackers meant children’s data was being used for targeted advertising, which violated COPPA. This case and others have prompted platform changes – for instance, Apple now bans many third-party trackers in iOS apps made for kids (techcrunch.com). The lesson is clear: even if your app or site is well-intentioned, third-party partners could undermine your compliance if not properly controlled. To audit third parties, start by cataloguing all external services and code in your product. For each, review their privacy policies or data handling documentation. Wherever possible, use settings or contracts to limit their data usage strictly to what is necessary (“service for internal operations” in COPPA terms). It’s wise to have a Data Processing Agreement in place with any vendor handling personal data on your behalf, spelling out security requirements and privacy standards they must follow (www.ftc.gov). Additionally, perform periodic checks – for example, verify that an analytics script isn’t suddenly collecting more data than expected or that a cloud provider’s security certifications are up to date. By auditing and tightly managing third-party tools, you ensure that “outsourced” data handling still meets the high bar for protecting children.
Privacy is a Form of Care
At the heart of all these practices is a simple philosophy: privacy is a form of care. Treating children’s privacy as a priority shows that you respect your young users and want to keep them safe. Children may not fully understand the implications of data collection, but they and their families do feel the effects of privacy (or the lack thereof) in very real ways. A platform that only asks for necessary information, seeks parental involvement, and safeguards data is implicitly saying, “We care about the well-being and safety of our users.” In contrast, a service that exploits personal data or handles it carelessly can put children at risk – from identity theft to unwanted contact or profiling – and erode the trust of families.
Embedding privacy into your design and policies is an act of trust-building and good stewardship. Think of it as analogous to child-proofing a physical space: just as parents appreciate a venue that has safety measures for kids, they appreciate digital services that put privacy protections front and center. In some jurisdictions, regulators talk about the “best interests of the child” as a guiding principle for data processing, urging companies to consider the impact on children’s well-being in every decision. By viewing privacy through a caregiving lens, organizations tend to make more compassionate choices – like offering stronger privacy settings by default for younger users, or providing easy tools for parents and kids to understand and control their personal data. Ultimately, prioritizing privacy isn’t just about avoiding fines or meeting legal minima; it’s part of your duty of care to the community of users. When done right, protecting privacy nurtures a safer online environment where children can learn, play, and create without compromising their personal security.
Key Takeaways
- Collect minimal data: Gather only the information absolutely required for your service to function (bigid.com). Unnecessary data collection increases risk without adding value.
- Parental consent is a must: Obtain verifiable consent from a parent or guardian before collecting personal data from minors, in compliance with laws like COPPA (under 13) and GDPR (under 16) (www.ftc.gov) (wl.cookie-script.com).
- Secure storage & planned deletion: Protect children’s data with strong security measures (encryption, access controls) (www.ftc.gov) and delete data when it’s no longer needed (www.ftc.gov). Don’t retain personal info indefinitely.
- Vet third-party services: Carefully audit third-party tools (ads, analytics, plugins) that handle user data (www.ftc.gov). Ensure they meet the same privacy standards you uphold, and get parental consent if they collect kids’ data (techcrunch.com).
- Privacy as care: Approach children’s privacy as an extension of caring for your users. Prioritizing privacy demonstrates respect and builds trust with families, creating a safer environment for children online.
25th August 2025