Tag Archives: children

Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens

International privacy scan apps for kids

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (CBP) has participated in an international scan focused on apps and websites for children. 29 different privacy regulators from around the world participated in the scan. All have held their own national scan. They have nearly 1500 of the most popular apps and websites in total under the microscope. 67% apps collected personal data on children. Also many of the apps and websites provide links to content which the fall outside the safe online environment of the app.

CBP concludes its from its state scan inter alia, that for most apps it is not possible to assess what the app actually does, what personal data are processed by it, and for what purpose. Parents should be able to find comprehensive information in the app store to download in an easy way.

The international scan is organized by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), an international alliance of privacy authorities. When the scan is looking at privacy issues such as the provision of information in the app store, the personal data to be entered when installing and or using ad networks.

Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD)

First sectoral inspection in Europe on cloud services in the educational field

On 22 July 2015, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) published the First Sectoral Inspection Plan as a result of the progress of new technologies that affects the data in schools, especially through Cloud Computing.

The AEPD identifies the main actors involved in the cloud service performance in the education sector. It verifies the guarantees adopted and, in particular, the security measures implemented by each of the operators in order to ensure the security and integrity of the data.

It concludes with a series of relevant facultative recommendations intended to change the digital environment, the further development of new models in a respectful frame with the Spanish Data Protection Act (LOPD) and alerting stakeholders on the necessary compliance with Spanish legislation on data protection.

Garante per la protezione dei dati personali

Sweep Day 2015: Children’s privacy

On 7 September 2015, the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali reported the results of a privacy sweep to examine the data privacy practices of websites and apps aimed at or popular among children. The investigation highlighted severe problems and risks for the privacy of children in the practices of the websites and apps considered.

The survey carried out by the Italian DPA was developed in collaboration with other 28 European Data Protection Authorities under the auspices of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) on the occasion of “Privacy Sweep 2015” dedicated to the protection of children aged between 8 and 13 years.

The aim of the research was to determine an overall overview on the privacy practices that these apps and websites targeted or frequently consulted by children and the results of the global survey, with about 1500 sites and apps analysed, show a little protective scenario against the children’s privacy. Many of these websites and apps are collecting personal information without offering kids and their parents protective controls to limit the use and disclosure of such personal information or a simple means of deleting an account permanently.