Parents
How to Protect Your Child’s Personal Data Online
Keeping your child safe online
Setting privacy and safety controls
Your child shares more personal data online than they may realise. Knowing what counts as personal data and how it can be misused, helps you protect their privacy and safety as they grow.
What is personal data and your child’s digital footprint?
Personal data is any detail that can be used to identify your child in real life. On its own, a single piece of information may seem harmless. But when different details are shared over time, they form your child’s digital footprint — the trail of information they leave in the online space.
This digital footprint can reveal more about your child than you or they may expect. It can show who your child is, where they go, who they spend time with, or how they can be contacted, especially when information from different apps, platforms or websites is combined.
Examples of personal data:
Full name
Photos or videos that show your child’s face or identity
NRIC number
Date of birth
Phone number
Home address
School name
Email address
Usernames, passwords
Bank account details
Credit or debit card details
Why is it important to protect your child’s personal data?
Protecting your child’s personal data helps keep them safe online and offline. Children may not fully understand the risks of sharing details about themselves, especially when chatting, gaming or using social media.
If personal data is not properly protected, it can be misused in ways that put your child at risk. For example, others may use it to contact your child without your knowledge, access their accounts, or share their details without consent. Misused personal data can also lead to bullying, harassment or unwanted attention.
By guiding your child to keep their personal data private and share safely, you:
Protect their privacy
Reduce the risk of misuse or harm
Support healthier digital habits as they grow
How can you help your child protect their personal data?
You do not need to do everything at once. Start with these steps and work through them over time, together with your child.
Secure your child’s devices
Device security protects personal data if a device is lost or shared.
Lock devices with a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition
Keep devices and apps updated to fix security issues promptly
Use built-in security features on operating systems such as macOS and Windows, or install reputable antivirus software
Review privacy settings and turn off unnecessary access to location, contacts or media sharing
Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities like logging into email accounts or updating passwords
Advise your child to use trusted apps and websites
Not all platforms handle personal data responsibly. Guide your child to:
Use secure websites that start with “https” and show a padlock icon in the address bar
Download apps only from official platforms (e.g. Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
Review privacy policies together with you so they understand how their data is collected, used and shared
For Singapore organisations, look out for the Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) logo, which indicates strong data protection practices. Learn more about DPTM and what its logo looks like here.
Protect your child’s accounts
Strong logins reduce the risk of accounts being taken over by others
Create strong passwords that are long and made up of random words, with added numbers, symbols and mixed cases (e.g. DinoDancingOnMoon2025!)
Use a different passphrase for each account
Turn on two-step verification wherever possible, using a one-time password or biometrics such as fingerprint or facial recognition
Use a reliable password manager to store passwords securely, especially if your child finds it hard to remember multiple passwords
Regularly review what your child shares online and their privacy settings
Help your child understand what information is safe to share.
Encourage them to think before posting or sharing personal details
Explain that small details, such as a favourite colour or pet’s name, can be used to guess security answers
Remind them not to share personal routines or real-time locations, such as where they go after school or how they travel each day
Explain that photos and videos can reveal more than intended, such as their appearance, location, school, hobbies or people they know, especially through backgrounds, uniforms and other visible details
Review your child’s friend or follower lists together regularly
Adjust privacy settings so only trusted people can see their posts and profile information
How can you talk to your child about protecting their personal data online?
Talking to your child about online privacy doesn’t have to feel like a lecture. Here are some simple questions and everyday examples that can help your child understand why personal data should be protected.
Start with what is already public
Looking up your names together can be a useful way to begin. Your child may be surprised by how much information is already available online, even if they have never posted or shared it directly. This can open up a natural conversation about how information can be collected and spread over time.
Explain what “personal data” means
Children may not realise that details like their school name, birthday, or username can be used to identify them. Explaining what counts as personal data helps them understand why some things should be kept private, even when chatting with friends.
Use simple, real-world examples
Relatable comparisons can make online privacy easier to grasp. For example, you might ask whether they would give a stranger their house key or tell someone they do not know where they will be later in the day. Linking these examples back to sharing addresses, passwords or locations online helps the message feel practical.
Review who they connect with online
Taking time to look through who follows or contacts your child can encourage more thoughtful sharing. Talking about who they know in real life versus online-only connections helps your child decide what they are comfortable sharing and with whom.
Your child’s online habits will change as they grow. Let them know they can come to you if something feels confusing or uncomfortable. Stay calm when mistakes happen and focus on learning together to build trust over time. You can also explore other online safety resources to support your child at different stages of their digital journey.