Skip to main content

Children, Well-Being, and Apps

Supervisor

Suitable for

MSc in Advanced Computer Science

Abstract

Description: Tablet computers are becoming the primary means for young children to go online. However, few studies have examined how young children perceive and cope with personal data privacy during their interactions with these mobile technologies. Our current research has shown that young children and their parents largely have little awareness of personal data collection by mobile apps. Parents’ primary concerns are misplaced, and remain focused on familiar risks, like content appropriateness or in-app purchases. As a result, children are regularly exposed to personal data risks and have little skills to recognise or cope with them. In the KOALA project, we will explore different ways to mitigate these risks, including recognising and detecting apps that designed for children in the general app store, and analysing personal data collection practices of existing mobile apps from leading kids app stores.