Every parent wants what’s best for their kids; the problem is that their definitions of “best” vary widely.
Some parents aim for the best sneakers, best wardrobe, schools, classes, toys, and gadgets. Others focus on helping their kids become the best possible version of themselves by guiding them through life while providing the space they need to be who they are.
Sometimes, growing up in a lower-income family can be a good thing for a child, but only if they receive the attention, guidance, and love they need — instead of the gadgets they don’t.
Without a doubt, technology has many benefits. The question is: Do the benefits outweigh the potential risks?
The stakes of the question rise significantly when applied to the child’s technology use. It seems today’s parents have hit the jackpot — if the prize is raising kids in the harshest environment imaginable.
Too often, overwhelmed parents are unaware of some hidden dangers around their children’s technology use.
Image source: D-Keine/Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Justice sues Apitor Technology for child safety violations
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued toy manufacturer Apitor Technology, following a notification from the Federal Trade Commission.
The complaint alleges that Apitor violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) as it failed to inform parents or ask for their consent before allowing a Chinese third party to gather their children’s geolocation data.
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“Apitor allowed a Chinese third party to collect sensitive data from children using its product, in violation of COPPA,” said FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige. “COPPA is clear: Companies that provide online services to kids must notify parents if they are collecting personal information from their kids and get parents’ consent — even if the data is collected by a third party.”
Apitor is a Chinese company that makes robot kits for kids to learn STEM and create with technology. Many of its programmable robot toys are designed for children ages 6 to 14 and are available through online retailers like Amazon.
Apitor Technology collected minors’ sensitive information
Apitor’s popular products include STEM Robot Building Kits that allow children to build and program robots using an app.
While learning STEP by having fun sounds like a good idea, the part of using the company’s “app” rings the alarm bell.
Users must download and operate Apitor’s app to program its toys to make them move. Through this app for Android mobile devices, the company collected or “caused to be collected on its behalf, geolocation data of children under the age of 12,” reads the complaint.
Apitor integrated a third-party software development kit, JPush, into the app, allowing JPush’s developer to collect location data and use it for any purpose, including advertising.
Apitor allegedly failed to comply with COPPA’s parental notice and consent requirements.
Children’s safety in the tech world: a global health emergency
According to the Global Child Safety Institute, Childlight, millions of children a year are victims of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.
Facts on child victims of tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse:
- 12.6% of the world’s children have been victims of non-consensual taking, sharing, and exposure to sexual images and videos in the past year.
- About 300 million children globally have been subject to online solicitation, such as unwanted sexual talk.
“Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global health pandemic. It occurs in every country, is growing exponentially and is global in nature. However, this is a hidden pandemic, one that has been ignored and pushed to the side for far too long because the reality is often too difficult to contemplate,” says Childlight CEO Paul Stanfield.
In addition to sexual exploitation, collection of children’s geolocation data is another huge concern. The ability to track a child’s physical location presents the risk that the data can be used to compromise the physical safety of that child, writes Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Think the worst-case scenarios — abduction; physical, mental, and sexual abuse; and trafficking.
ICO-recommended strategies to avoid misuse of child geolocation data:
- Switch off default geolocation privacy settings.
- Revert settings that make the child’s location visible to others to “off” after each use.
What’s next for Apitor’s robots? Proposed settlement
Under a proposed order to settle the allegation, Apitor is required to:
- Ensure compliance with COPPA for any third-party software
- Pay a $500,000 penalty (currently suspended due to the company’s inability to pay)
- Delete any personal information it obtained in violation of COPPA (unless it notifies parents and obtains their consent)
Tech questions parents should ponder
This case highlights illegal geolocation data collection, but what about when the company asks for permission? Should parents willingly give it to enable their children to play with or program robots?
It all comes down to risks versus benefits.
More on Technology:
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- The US government got a great deal on AI, but at what cost?
- OpenAI CEO sends surprising message on AI use for mental health
Dangers on social media and apps that collect sensitive information are just two of many risks associated with youth technology use.
This year, popular Barbie maker Mattel announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The goal behind the partnership is to “bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences, with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety.”
While this sounds magical and fun, it sparked controversy among parents and experts, with Public Citizen Co-president Robert Wissman stressing that “children do not have the cognitive capacity to distinguish fully between reality and play.”
Some parents might choose to simply say “no” to their children’s desires, delaying their entry into the tech space for as long as possible. But once kids are out there in the ocean of technology, parents need to be equipped with strong lifebuoys to mitigate risks.
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