Digital privacy: how can you protect your children's data?

Digital privacy means clear boundaries on access to and use of personal information. For children and teenagers, this includes routines, images, conversations, and data recorded by apps. Protecting it does not mean preventing all technology use; it means understanding what needs to be shared and with whom.

What should a child never share publicly? Passwords and authentication codes should not be given to contacts. Home addresses, travel routines, documents, live location, and school details should not be published openly. Intimate photos should not be requested or shared. Seemingly simple information may identify a child when combined with other details. (CERT.br)

This differs from giving an address to an emergency operator or providing a document in a legitimate procedure with a parent or guardian. Context and recipient matter. Teach children to ask before completing registrations, entering giveaways, or answering unusual requests.

How can you protect children's personal data online? Provide only necessary data, check who operates the service, and read its stated purposes. Review camera, microphone, and location permissions. Use screen lock and unique account credentials. If an app requests something unrelated to the feature, ask why before authorizing it. (CERT.br)

What rights apply to this data? Brazil's LGPD provides rights such as access, correction, and, depending on the situation and legal basis, deletion. Children's and teenagers' data must be processed in their best interests. Consent is not unlimited permission for any purpose, and deleting an account does not necessarily mean immediately deleting every record. (Planalto)

How can you explain privacy to a child? Use concrete examples: a password is a key; location shows where a person is; a sent message can be copied. Agree that asking for help after sharing something will not lead to humiliation. Show how adults protect their own data too: examples make rules easier to understand.

How does this work in Alkateia? Alkateia organizes conversations among authorized members. Text, audio, location, and SOS have different purposes and require separate choices. The app has no public profiles or people search, but recipients can copy what they receive. Consult the Privacy Policy, see how location permissions work and share only what the situation requires.