Children, Well-Being, and Apps
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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.