What Are the Best Privacy Settings for My Kid's Apps and Devices?
Topics: Cellphones and Devices
Online Safety
To keep your personal information safe, it's essential to have strong privacy settings on your apps and devices. This can also help you have control over your digital footprint. When securing your accounts, remember to also talk with your kids about protecting their data anytime they use tech.
Help your child tighten up their account settings with these precautions:
- Manage location services. Control when apps and devices have access to your location, like only when the app is being used. You can also disable location services altogether.
- Use secure browsers and search engines. Try to use web browsers and search engines that protect user data.
- Block ads. Install ad blockers on your device to avoid being targeted with ads.
- Reject cookies. Apps and websites can use cookies on your devices that track what you do online. Some cookies can be helpful, such as those that save your login info or items in your online shopping cart. However, many use trackers to collect personal information, so opt out of unnecessary cookies.
- Review app permissions. Some apps request access to different types of data, such as your contacts or camera roll. Adjust these permissions based on what you feel is appropriate.
- Be careful with new logins. Sometimes websites and apps allow you to sign up for a profile and log in using an existing account, such as Gmail. When you do this, you may be allowing that app to access certain information from your profile that isn't necessary for it to have. Consider creating an account from scratch instead of syncing all your accounts.
To keep your personal information safe, it's essential to have strong privacy settings on your apps and devices. This can also help you have control over your digital footprint. When securing your accounts, remember to also talk with your kids about protecting their data anytime they use tech.
Help your child tighten up their account settings with these precautions:
- Manage location services. Control when apps and devices have access to your location, like only when the app is being used. You can also disable location services altogether.
- Use secure browsers and search engines. Try to use web browsers and search engines that protect user data.
- Block ads. Install ad blockers on your device to avoid being targeted with ads.
- Reject cookies. Apps and websites can use cookies on your devices that track what you do online. Some cookies can be helpful, such as those that save your login info or items in your online shopping cart. However, many use trackers to collect personal information, so opt out of unnecessary cookies.
- Review app permissions. Some apps request access to different types of data, such as your contacts or camera roll. Adjust these permissions based on what you feel is appropriate.
- Be careful with new logins. Sometimes websites and apps allow you to sign up for a profile and log in using an existing account, such as Gmail. When you do this, you may be allowing that app to access certain information from your profile that isn't necessary for it to have. Consider creating an account from scratch instead of syncing all your accounts.
Common Sense Media offers the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based ratings and reviews. Our timely parenting advice supports families as they navigate the challenges and possibilities of raising kids in the digital age.
Recommended reads on this topic
