Disconnect's New 'Do Not Track Kids' App Protects Your Kids' Privacy

Although it is against the law for companies to track young children in the US, it happens. A recent survey by Pixalate found that more than two-thirds of the most popular kids' iPhone apps gather and share personal data. Additionally, by the time children reach the age of 13, when legal data collecting is intended to begin, digital ad companies gather an average of 72 million data points about each child. Therefore, the security company Disconnect created new software to address the issue - 'Do Not Track Kids' app. The Apple App Store app Do Not Track Kids, released just last week, bans trackers across your entire device while also teaching kids about privacy. According to Casey Oppenheim, CEO of Disconnect, "The point of all this data collection is to influence your behavior, whether it’s getting you to buy a product, promoting compulsive behavior, or even pushing an ideology. When you put that in the context of kids, there’s something about it that’s really sinister." Furthermore, numerous trackers that gather information on you in the background on websites, apps, and even emails still remain undetected. Apple makes a great fuss out of the fact that its privacy settings shield you from all of that, but the corporation might be getting more credit than it deserves. And although the settings on your iPhone can make a difference, tech corporations are nonetheless snooping on you and your family almost constantly.

The Do Not Track Kids App

After installing the app on the iPhone or iPad your child uses and making a brief update to your device's settings, the software will immediately begin blocking a variety of data collecting. Unfortunately, tracking is so deeply ingrained in the internet that even the most powerful privacy solutions can cause major app and website crashes. Do Not Track Kids' restrictions by default will disable some privacy-invading technology without affecting your kids' preferred apps. However, the program has special settings you can utilize to fine-tune your protection from numerous organizations, such as Google, Meta, and TikTok. Additionally, the most strident settings can entirely obstruct the services of these and other businesses. Moreover, in addition to blocking email trackers and services that use your smartphone to mine cryptocurrencies, Do Not Track Kids also blocks app tracking. Additionally, the program filters and encrypts your Domain Name System (DNS) connections, making it more difficult for your cell phone operator and internet service provider to eavesdrop on you. Disconnect claims that you won't need to worry about the company utilizing your data improperly because it claims not to connect any information that you don't voluntarily submit. On another note, the software includes some adorable comic-book-style explanations about how data collecting works and why it matters in addition to safeguarding your children's privacy.

What's More

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (commonly known as COPPA), designed to protect children's privacy, contains gaps large enough for a school bus to pass through. The privacy safeguards of COPPA only apply if you are aware that a user is 13 years of age or less. Besides, even when businesses follow the regulations, COPPA doesn't accomplish anything to protect children, as the Federal Trade Commission suggested it would do. One reason is that 13 is a totally arbitrary age. When you reach the bar mitzvah age, there is no valid reason why you should no longer have privacy. And regardless of the age of the children, companies only need to obtain parental permission before they may do almost anything with the data. Also, Read- 6 Brain Foods to Help Kids Stay Sharp & Focused