Written by Paribhasha Pradhan
Data governance is the total management of an organization’s data availability, usability, integrity, and security. It entails developing rules and processes for data collection, storage, use, and maintenance, as well as ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Data governance also includes establishing roles and duties for data management, as well as guaranteeing data accuracy, completeness, and reliability. It is crucial to an organization’s overall performance because it ensures that data is used properly and efficiently.
Data governance and privacy in the digital age is a critical issue, particularly when it comes to protecting teenagers and children online. As more and more children and teenagers have access to the internet, the need for effective data governance and privacy policies to protect them has become increasingly important. One of the biggest challenges in protecting teenagers and children online is ensuring that their personal information is not collected, shared or used without their consent. This includes information such as their names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. It is also important to protect children’s sensitive information, such as their browsing history, search queries and location data. In order to emphasize cybersecurity, privacy, and safer internet, the following case studies have been completed especially highlighting children and teenagers.
Children experiencing cyber threats
The increasing reliance on technology and the internet has made it imperative to ensure the safety of children in cyberspace. The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) conducted a study to understand the extent of cyber threats faced by children worldwide.
The study revealed that 72% of children globally have experienced at least one type of cyber threat online, with 90% of kids aged eight and above engaged in online activities. The survey, conducted with over 40,000 participants from 24 nations and six regions, showed the biggest concerns were unwanted advertisements, offensive content, abuse, and harassment. Although 83% of children claimed that they would inform their parents of the threats, only 39% of parents were aware of their child’s concerns.
Implications:
The results of the study highlight the need for immediate worldwide cooperation to protect today’s youth in cyberspace. All stakeholders in the online and child protection ecosystem, including international organizations, regulators, law enforcement, parents, education providers, and technology companies, have a responsibility to play in ensuring the safety of children online.
The GCF study sheds light on the pressing issue of children’s cyber safety and the need for collective action to protect them from cyber threats. The study’s results call for all stakeholders to work together to create a safe online environment for children.
Sharenting
Sharenting is the practice of parents excessively sharing sensitive content about their children on the internet, especially on social media platforms. This phenomenon is a combination of sharing and parenting, and it has become a common practice among parents.
Excessive sharenting on the internet has several critical problems, including the abuse of personal information, infringement of self-determination and portrait rights, and creation of a digital footprint that could have future implications.
The consequences of sharenting are far-reaching. In 2015, Australian investigators found that over 45 million photos of children engaged in everyday activities were present on pedophile image-sharing sites, which were downloaded from social media sites and family blogs. Multinational financial services firm Barclays has warned that sharenting will cause two-thirds of identity theft crimes that children will face over the next decade. There have also been cases of children being kidnapped due to information exposed through sharenting in countries such as the United States and Japan. Additionally, there have been cases of parents being threatened by following their children with information exposed through sharenting, such as in Korea.
The practice of sharenting exposes children’s privacy and leaves them vulnerable to potential dangers. There are more and more cases of excessive sharenting being sued after children grow up, highlighting the need for caution and responsibility among parents when sharing information about their children on the internet.
Child sexual abuse online
Child sexual abuse online refers to the exploitation and harm of children through technology such as the internet and social media. This growing issue can take various forms, including grooming, live streaming of abuse, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The anonymity and reach of the internet make it easy for perpetrators to target vulnerable children and commit severe abuse.
- Grooming: A perpetrator uses online platforms to establish a relationship with a child and gain their trust, before coercing them into performing sexual acts on camera.
- Live streaming of abuse: A perpetrator uses live streaming platforms to broadcast the sexual abuse of a child to a live audience.
- Distribution of CSAM: A perpetrator shares images and videos of child sexual abuse online, often through peer-to-peer networks or dark web marketplaces.
Child sexual abuse can have severe and long-lasting effects on a child’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It can lead to low self-esteem, trust issues, and mental health problems like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Children aged 11 to 13 accounted for 75% of the recorded images, while 20% were of seven to 10-year-olds and 5% were children aged 14 to 15. The abuse can include sexual penetration with household objects and is often committed by perpetrators who coerce the child through an internet-connected device with a camera when they are remote from the child.
Child sexual abuse online is a form of child abuse that is illegal in most countries. The growing and pervasive nature of this issue highlights the need for increased awareness and cooperation from various sectors, including law enforcement, technology companies, and parents, to protect children and prevent this type of abuse.
It is important to note that preventing child sexual abuse requires a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach. It requires collaboration between different stakeholders such as government, law enforcement, tech companies, civil society, and educators.
References
Craig S. (2022, May 30). What is data governance and why does it matter?. Tech Target. [Online] Available from: https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/data-governance [Accessed 14 January 2023]
Vikki D. (2022, September 6). 72% of children globally have been victims of cyber threats. Cyber Magazine. [Online] Available from: https://cybermagazine.com/articles/72-of-children-globally-have-been-victims-of-cyber-threats [Accessed 15 January 2023 ]
Abi T T. (2022, September 6). What is Cyber Threat?. UpGuard. [Online] Available from: https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-threat [Accessed 14 January 2023]
Lauren M. (2022, August 30). The Dangers of Sharenting – How to Protect Your Kids’ Privacy. VPN Overview. [Online] Available from: https://vpnoverview.com/internet-safety/kids-online/sharenting/ [Accessed 16 January 2023]
Brooklyn N. (2022, June 9). Posting photos of your children on social media? Experts warn there may be consequences. CTV News. [Online] Available from: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/posting-photos-of-your-children-on-social-media-experts-warn-there-may-be-consequences-1.5938484 [Accessed 18 January 2023]
Yoon J. (2022, May 5). Do you share SNS because your child is cute? Parents’ Guide to ‘Sharing’. Hankookilbo. [Online] Available from: https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2022050311040000752?did=NA [Accessed 18 January 2023]
National Education Group (2022, November 18). What is Online Safety?. National Online Safety. [Online] Available from: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/wakeupwednesday/what-is-online-safety [Accessed 19 January 2023]
Sky UK. (2022, November 18). Children coerced into most severe form of sexual abuse online, report finds. Sky News. [Online] Available from: https://news.sky.com/story/children-coerced-into-most-severe-form-of-sexual-abuse-online-report-finds-12749971 [Accessed 19 January 2023]