An ultrasound image shared on social media, discussions in parenting groups, the first photos from the hospital, smart baby monitors, family chats, GPS watches, kindergarten platforms, cloud-based learning environments – all of these are perfectly ordinary, everyday, and seemingly harmless forms of sharing. In most cases, these tools are used with good intentions, primarily to share joy, keep children safe, or make everyday life more convenient.
However, the cumulative result of these small, everyday decisions is that a child's digital footprint is created long before they understand what data is being collected about them, who can see it, where it is being transferred, or how it may affect them in the future.
A "Private Group" Does Not Mean Information Is Truly Private
Today, more information about children is circulating online than ever before. This is particularly evident in various parenting and baby groups. Parents share photos, health concerns, developmental questions, sleep issues, emotional moments, and sometimes highly detailed information about a child's daily life.
These groups often feel safe because they are closed, members-only communities designed to support other parents. In many cases, joining such groups requires answering a range of questions intended to verify membership. These may include sensitive information about the child or parent, such as an expected due date, a screenshot of an ultrasound image, an extract from a health portal, a photo of the baby, or similar evidence intended to prove eligibility for a specific group.
This means that group administrators may end up collecting large amounts of sensitive personal information without any meaningful digital security measures or clear legal basis. Furthermore, there is little or no control over what happens to that information after it has been shared.
Unfortunately, on the internet, "private" often simply means that we cannot see how information continues to circulate. Screenshots can be taken in seconds, accounts can be hacked, and groups may include people who are not personally known to other members. Even when no malicious leak occurs, an important question remains: would the child themselves want their most personal moments or health information to be discoverable online one day?
Most adults are generally cautious about sharing their own health data publicly. When it comes to children, however, these boundaries often become blurred. Few adults would voluntarily post a photo of their own skin condition online and ask strangers for advice.
The Invisible Flow of Data Through Kindergarten and School Apps
Beyond social media, a significant amount of children's data also moves through educational and communication platforms.
Many digital solutions that simplify communication, attendance tracking, activity sharing, and photo galleries are genuinely useful and convenient. It is wonderful to be able to see what your child did at kindergarten today and how their day went, and technology makes this possible in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
The real question, however, is whether we truly understand how much data flows through these systems and who can actually access it. Do all the data points being collected serve a necessary purpose? What happens if a parent does not consent to certain forms of data sharing?
Digital convenience should not come at the expense of privacy. The more information that is collected about children, the more important it becomes for parents to understand how that information is used and who has access to it.
One of the most important principles of data protection is data minimisation. In practice, this means collecting only the information that is genuinely necessary. Data should not be gathered simply because a particular digital solution makes it possible.
Before sharing a child's data, it is worth asking:
- Why is this information needed?
- Who will have access to it?
- How long will it be stored?
- Will it be shared with third parties?
These are not paranoid concerns. They are entirely legitimate questions in a world where a child's digital identity is increasingly shaped by systems that most of us know very little about.
GPS Watches and the New Meaning of Safety
One of the most challenging topics related to children's data is the use of GPS watches and other tracking devices.
Parents' desire to protect their children is entirely understandable and natural, especially in a world where information about potential dangers is constantly available and feelings of security often seem increasingly fragile. However, what kind of habits does constant monitoring create?
If a child grows up believing that their location should always be visible, their understanding of privacy itself may gradually change. Surveillance can begin to feel normal rather than exceptional.
Beyond the ethical questions surrounding privacy, there is also a practical dimension. Do we know how secure these devices are, where the data is being transmitted, and who else may be able to access it? While such devices may provide reassurance, how often do we consider what happens to the data behind the scenes, where it is stored, how long it remains there, and who besides us may be able to see it?
A Child's Digital Identity Is More Than Just "Today's Internet"
One of the most common misconceptions is that data only matters in the present.
In reality, we cannot yet fully predict the role that digital history may play 10 or 15 years from now. Technology is advancing faster than our ability to understand its long-term implications. Photos, location data, behavioural patterns, health information, and educational records may acquire entirely different meanings in the future than they have today.
This is particularly significant for children because they have had little or no opportunity to decide what kind of digital footprint is being created on their behalf.
The Issue Is Not Only About Laws
Protecting children's data is not merely a legal matter. It is also about trust, responsibility, and values.
The question is not whether technology should be used or whether parents should share photos of their children. Rather, it is whether we are willing to pause occasionally and ask ourselves: "Is everything we collect and share truly necessary?" and "Do we protect children's data with the same level of care that we would apply to our own most personal information?"
A child's digital footprint is not simply data stored on a server. It is very likely to become part of their future identity.
Children's data is not inherently more valuable or more sensitive than that of adults. However, children are often unable to understand the potential long-term consequences of their digital footprint. For that reason, parents carry a particular responsibility to make informed decisions and to think carefully before sharing information, asking whether something that seems innocent and endearing today will still feel appropriate and welcome from the child's perspective in the future.