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The internet plays a significant role in children's lives, but their online privacy and security are at risk.
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Comparitech conducted a study revealing that many children's apps on Google Play may be violating the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) age-appropriate design code.
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The ICO code consists of 15 standards that online services must adhere to, including protecting children's online data and privacy.
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The code applies to any service that could be accessed by children under 18 in the UK, even if it is not explicitly aimed at them.
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Online services must conduct data protection impact assessments and provide transparent and tailored privacy policies for children.
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Almost 25 percent of the apps reviewed by Comparitech had privacy policies that potentially violated the ICO code, such as collecting personal data without proper policies or consent...
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sharing data with third parties without transparency, or claiming not to target children despite being in the child-specific section of Google Play.
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Collecting IP addresses or other persistent identifiers from children without a clear and comprehensive section on children's data protection within their privacy policy was the most common violation.
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The ICO and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) consider IP addresses as personal data.
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Comparitech assessed 402 apps on the Google Play tab for Children to determine whether they comply with the ICO's age-appropriate design code.
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The findings of the study show that children's online privacy and security still need to be protected, and more work needs to be done to ensure compliance with the ICO code.