MomTalk.com August 28, 2008: The women's magazine for moms about children, family, health, home, fashion, careers, marriage & more

Protect Your Child's Privacy

By Jennifer Martinez

It's no secret that our personal information is at risk on the Internet. Everyone -- from legitimate marketers to scammers, spammers and predators -- wants to know more and more about us. As an adult, you probably have a pretty good idea to whom you should or shouldn't give your personal information. But does your child?

Threats to your child's privacy on the Internet are numerous. Any web site, email, or instant message (IM) that asks a child to provide personal information can put them (and you) at risk. Based on the online activities that are popular with kids, here are some of the scenarios where your child is likely to be asked for personal information, and when to display the most caution.

* Joining web sites Many web sites, particularly those that children visit, ask or require that kids join or register to gain full access to the site. Some will ask only for a name (or screen name) and email address. Others may ask for more complete information, however, including a physical address and phone number. Social networking sites and instant messaging services may entice, if not require, children to post profiles that include much more personal information, including their age, gender, a photo, likes and dislikes and more. These profiles can be accessed by anyone, including predators.
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