What Is Privacy Online?

Ages 3-5 Simple Explanation

You know how your parents tell you not to talk to strangers at the park? Online privacy is the same idea, but for when you're using a tablet or computer. You don't share your name, where you live, or what school you go to with people you don't know on the internet.

You know how you have things that are just yours, like your favorite teddy bear? Online privacy means that some things about you should stay just yours. Things like your name, your address, and pictures of you should only be shared with people your family trusts.

Sometimes on the internet, people might ask you questions like 'Where do you live?' or 'What's your name?' If you don't know them, you should never answer those questions. Instead, go tell a grown-up right away.

Your parents help keep you safe online, just like they hold your hand when you cross the street. Whenever you're using a computer or tablet, it's a good idea to have a grown-up nearby who can help you make safe choices.

Ages 6-8 More Detail

Online privacy is about keeping your personal information safe when you're on the internet. Personal information means things like your full name, your home address, the name of your school, your phone number, and pictures of you. This information should stay private because you don't want just anyone to know it.

Think about it this way: you probably wouldn't walk up to a random person on the street and tell them your home address, right? The internet is the same. There are lots of people online you don't know, and sharing private details with them isn't safe.

Sometimes websites and apps ask you to fill in information about yourself when you sign up. Before you type anything, always ask a parent first. They can help you figure out what's okay to share and what should stay private. Often, you don't need to fill in every single box on a form.

Photos are part of your privacy too. Once a photo goes on the internet, it can be really hard to take it back. Other people can save it, share it, or even change it. So before posting a picture, think about whether you'd want everyone in the whole world to see it.

A good rule for online privacy is: if you wouldn't shout it out loud in a crowded room, don't put it on the internet. Keep your private stuff private, and always check with a trusted adult when you're not sure.

Ages 9-12 Full Explanation

Online privacy is your ability to control what personal information about you is shared on the internet and who gets to see it. This includes obvious things like your name and address, but also less obvious things like your location, your browsing history, what you search for, and even what you buy online.

Every time you use a website or app, you're leaving behind data. When you sign up for a game, it might ask for your email. When you browse a website, it might track which pages you visited. When you use a map app, it knows where you are. Companies collect this data and often use it to show you targeted ads or even sell it to other companies.

Social media can be one of the biggest threats to your privacy if you're not careful. Posting your full name, school name, neighborhood, or daily schedule can give strangers a surprisingly detailed picture of your life. Even tagging your location on a post tells people exactly where you are at that moment.

There are things you can do to protect your online privacy. Use privacy settings on your accounts to limit who can see your posts. Don't accept friend requests from people you don't know in real life. Think twice before filling out quizzes or surveys that ask for personal details. And always be skeptical when a website asks for more information than it really needs.

Another key habit is reading the basics of privacy policies before using a new app. While they can be long and boring, the important part is understanding what information the app collects and whether it shares that data with others. If an app wants access to your camera, microphone, and contacts just to play a simple game, that should be a red flag.

Remember: once your information is out on the internet, it's very hard to take it back. Think of online privacy as a one-way door. It's easy to share something, but nearly impossible to un-share it. Making smart choices about what you put out there now can save you a lot of headaches later.