Kids Online
Should children’s apps come with ‘warning labels’? Here’s how to make sure your children’s digital playgrounds are safe places to play and learn.
11 Apr 2024
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6 min. read
Our children spend more time on their phones than ever. Some 80% of European 9-16-year-olds access the internet from their phones every day. In the UK, 91% of children have a mobile phone by the age of 11. And in the US, the same share has a smartphone by 14. While these devices, and the apps installed on them, can be a great tool for entertainment, socializing and learning, they also present risks.
As parents, we often buy these devices primarily as a means for our kids to stay connected with us, to be safe when they’re away from home and, perhaps to a lesser extent, to connect with their friends. But how many of us factor in the potential online safety implications? Much of the problem lies with a lack of transparency around data usage and app developers who, unlike you, don’t always have the best interests of your children in mind.
Read on to discover the main safety risks associated with child-targeted apps, and how to mitigate them.