Children meet the internet earlier and earlier: a game with a chat box, a video app with comments, a form asking for a name before you can play. Most of the time nothing goes wrong. But information shared online is hard to take back, and young children don't yet understand who might see it. This article explains what counts as personal information, gives a simple rule your child can remember, and looks at what parents share too.
What counts as personal information
Personal information is anything that helps someone find out who your child is or where to find them.
- Full name and date of birth.
- Address, school name and class, or the name of a club or park they go to regularly.
- Phone numbers and email addresses, theirs or the family's.
- Location: live location in apps, and places shown in photos.
- Photos and videos, especially those showing a face together with a school uniform, a house number or a street sign.
- Passwords and codes, even with best friends.
A simple rule for children
Young children need a rule that's easy to remember. One that works for many families:
"Personal things stay at home. Ask before you share."
| OK to share | Ask a parent first | Never share online |
|---|---|---|
| A nickname, a favourite colour, a favourite animal | Photos of yourself, your drawings with your name on them | Your full name, address, school, phone number |
| What you built in a game | Joining a new game or app | Passwords and codes |
| Anything a stranger asks for | Where you are right now |
Practise with small "what would you do?" questions: "A game asks for your name and school. What do you do?" Children remember a rule much better once they have used it.
Games, chats and strangers
- Turn off chat for young children if the game allows it, or limit it to people you know.
- Explain that people online aren't always who they say they are. A "friend" in a game may not be a child.
- Set clear red lines: never send photos, never keep a secret about someone online, never agree to meet.
- Promise not to overreact. "If something online makes you feel strange, tell me. You won't be in trouble." Children who fear losing the device often stay quiet.
Apps and what they collect
- Look at what an app asks for when you install it: name, photo, birthday, location, contacts.
- Say no to what isn't needed. A puzzle game doesn't need a real name or location.
- Use nicknames and avatars instead of real names and photos for children's profiles.
- Prefer apps without ads, since ads often rely on collecting information.
What parents share
Privacy isn't only about what children post. Many children appear online long before they can use a phone, through photos shared by family.
- Think before posting. Would your child be happy to see this photo at 13?
- Avoid details that locate your child: school uniforms, house numbers, location tags and live updates of where you are.
- Skip bath, potty and tantrum photos. They are part of growing up, not something to share widely.
- Check who can see your posts, and ask relatives to do the same before posting photos of your child.
- Ask older children before posting about them. It shows them that their privacy matters.
In Dologi, a player profile only needs a nickname (the app suggests not using a real name), an age and an avatar your child builds from drawn pictures, not a photo. Profiles and progress are stored only on your device.
In short
- Personal information is anything that helps someone identify or find your child: name, school, address, location, photos and passwords.
- Teach a simple rule: personal things stay at home, and ask before you share.
- Turn off chat for young children, explain that people online aren't always who they say, and promise not to overreact.
- Use nicknames in apps, refuse unnecessary permissions, and think twice before posting photos of your child.
Read more: Setting up a phone or tablet safely for children: what to check