WIREDGOV

Three in four parents fear their child can't make safe online privacy choices, new research shows. Yet most rarely, if ever, talk to them about it.   

• Quarter of primary aged children have shared their real name online - yet a fifth of parents and carers have never spoken to them about online privacy 
• Our new campaign Switched on to privacy helps parents have the same frank conversations about online privacy as they do about stranger danger and road safety  

Every day, primary school kids tap 'accept' on apps, games and websites - usually without realising how much personal information they may be sharing as a result.  

A single click can reveal far more than a name. It can unveil friendships, interests, moods and even sleep patterns, creating a digital footprint that can last forever - or even be exploited by people with bad intentions.  

No wonder 71% of parents worry the information their child shares today could affect their future.  

The stark findings come as we launch our Switched on to privacy campaign today to help parents of kids aged four to 11 start simple conversations about protecting their personal information online.  

Backed by stakeholders, the campaign urges parents to treat online privacy as an essential life skill - as natural as teaching a child to cross the road.  

Our research reveals how exposed children already are:  

• 24% have shared their real name or address online, with eight and nine-year-olds most at risk.   
• 22% have shared personal information such as health details with AI tools.   
• 35% of parents believe their child would share personal information in exchange for game tokens or rewards.  

Many parents feel underprepared:

• 46% don't feel confident protecting their children's privacy online.  
• 44% say they try but aren't sure they're doing enough.  
• 42% say they probably don't spend enough time checking their child's privacy settings.  

Our research shows online privacy is one of the least discussed online safety topics: 21% of parents have never spoken to their children about it, and 38% discuss it less than once a month. By contrast, 90% of parents have discussed screen time in the past month.

Click here for the full press release