Every day we create and share large amounts of information about ourselves online; this is called a digital footprint. It can be helpful to think about where this information goes, and who might be able to see it.
One piece of information about a young person might not be useful, but when it’s joined with other small pieces, it can give data companies an accurate picture of young people’s interests and personalities. This information can be used to target advertisements to them. You should help young people understand that information they share online or send to others can be retrieved after it’s been sent.
Some ways young people can be irresponsible with information:
- Sharing a personal private message from someone without their permission.
- Sharing information that can be used for security answers such as where they were born.
- Sending a sexual image of a person, including themselves or other young people.
- Sharing passwords with others who aren’t their parents or carers.
- Not changing passwords regularly, or leaving accounts signed in on a shared computer.
Privacy in a digital world
Everyone has the right have their privacy respected. They also have the responsibility to respect other people’s privacy. Highlighting the importance of privacy for young people is vital for their development and learning about healthy relationships and boundaries.
The right to privacy also applies online. This means that companies, or anyone else online shouldn’t track, process, share or use information without permission.
This is because information about us can be damaging if it’s shared with the wrong people. It can also be used in unfair ways without our permission.
The Information Commissioner ‘s Office outlines three types of data privacy:
- Interpersonal privacy - how young people’s data is accessed and used through your online friends (like their Instagram friends).
- Institutional privacy - how young people’s data is used by the government or public agencies (their school or their doctor).
- Commercial Privacy - how young people’s data is collected and used by businesses (companies that they buy things from).