Privacy and Safe Sharing:
Q & A for grown-ups
Before you start the new Build & Talk: Privacy and Safe Sharing activity with your child why not refresh your knowledge on the topic?
You’ll find some helpful information below. When you’ve had a look, start the activity here.
Why is privacy and sharing safely so important?
Even as grown-ups we may accidentally share personal information online, and for children it can be even harder to understand what should stay private.
It’s important to explain to kids that once something is shared online, or in a messaging app, it can’t be taken back (even if you delete it) and could have negative consequences. It's always worth stopping and thinking ‘Should I really share or say this?’
So what is personal information?
Personal information is any detail of your life that can be used to identify you. Things like your full name, address, phone number, birthday, your location and your photo – and in the case of children, things like their school name and uniform.
Who can you safely share personal information with?
Even people we meet online that seem friendly, or websites/apps that look safe, may not be. Before sharing anything, encourage your child to think: Do I know the person well? Would I trust them to take care of my favorite toy? Is the app/website made for kids? If the answer is no or they are unsure, then it's best they check first with a trusted grown-up.
Can my child share stuff about other kids?
It’s good to encourage your child to ask permission before taking or sharing photos/videos with others in them. If the other person is not ok with it, your child shouldn’t do it. Ask your child to put themselves into the other person’s shoes and consider their feelings. If they want to share photos of themselves or their friends online, you should check the app/website is actually designed for kids. Children under 13 should not be encouraged to share images or videos of themselves or others.
Why should kids have a good password?
The stronger your child’s passwords, the more protected their information will be. It’s advised to make ‘Pass-phrases’, around 15 characters long with a mixture of letters, symbols and numbers (for example, “ 1CaptainSafetyToTheRescue1-”). Use different passwords for different apps, websites, accounts and devices. Remind kids they can always come to you for help if someone finds out their password.
What about keeping my child’s device safe?
When your child gets a new smartphone or tablet activate password/passcode protection right away. This will help protect their personal information and stop it getting into the wrong hands.
What’s the most important thing for my child to remember?
If in doubt, ask first! If your child isn’t sure whether it’s ok to share something online- about themselves or someone else - they should always check with a parent, caregiver or grown-up they trust. One of the best ways to keep your child safe online is to stay in the loop, checking-in for regular chats. We made Build & Talk activities to help get you started.
How is the LEGO Group helping keep kids safe online?
Our digital experiences and games are safe-by-design and we always strive to be best in class when it comes to our users’ online safety. On our social platforms all comments and uploads are checked by trained moderators, so things are kept positive and fun and children get playful, randomized names to protect their identity.
We have also introduced Verified Parental Consent, enabling parents to verify themselves and give consent for their child to play and share in our LEGO experiences.