European Institute for Socio-Economic Development

DATA PROTECTION

DATA PROTECTION: Awareness raising on children’s privacy protection

The research consisted in 2 parts: 1) target group needs analysis; 2) good practices analysis.

Research target groups: 13-18 years, teachers, service providers.

Needs analysis was done through a questionnaire designed to 13-18 years children, teachers and service providers. Questionnaire for every target group consisted of not more than 10 questions.

The survey was designed to identify the needs of target groups (children, parents, teachers, service providers), lack of information and knowledge related to the behavior in electronic communication networks and control over one’s personal data, risks and gaps related to children privacy protection on the Internet, most recent infringements and violations of privacy online. The topics which can be developed and discussed was: Social networks (Facebook, Flicker), chats (Skype, messengers), blogs (personal stories, photos), purchases online (financial information), registration for music/films download and risks related thereto.

The target group which includes youth 13-18 years old demonstrated:

  • which electronic communication tools, websites, social networks are used by youth,
  • which personal data are publish and which data seem the most sensitive/private for youth,
  • which data from special categories of data (data revealing racial, ethnic origin, political opinion, religious and philosophical beliefs, data concerning health and sex life) are published on the Internet the most,
  • how many young people and how often remain anonymous or create false identities,
  • how much youth is aware of the consequences and lose of control over personal data,
  • how many young people avoid certain privacy unfriendly websites,
  • importance of the familiarity with privacy policies of websites, awareness about data protection institutions and competencies.

The project analysed:

  1. Legislative  environment (Laws on children data protection, Regulations for data controllers, businessmen, service providers related to the publication of personal data on the Internet, Guidelines prepared by DPAs for publication of children personal data on the Internet )
  2. Self-regulation (codes of conduct and/or provisions in codes of conducts concerning protection of children’s privacy)
  3. Complaints concerning violations of children’s privacy (DPA, Children’s rights Ombudsman 2008-2009 )
  4. Courts decisions
  5. Academic studies, researches
  6. Education initiatives in LT and IT (not all, but regarded as good practices)

For more information, please send an e-mail to: info@associazioneises.org