Polish DPA Publishes Guide On Protecting Children’s Privacy Online

On 8 July 2024, the Polish Data Protection Authority (UODO), in collaboration with the Orange Foundation, published a comprehensive guide titled “Children’s Image on the Internet. Publish or not?” This guide is designed to support institutions, organizations, and adults in safeguarding children’s privacy in the digital era.

Context and Purpose: The guide addresses the widespread issue of sharing children’s images online, which, while often done with good intentions, can lead to severe consequences such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and exploitation by pedophiles. It aims to raise awareness about the ethical and legal aspects of publishing children’s images and provides practical advice for safer practices.

1. Risks Highlighted:

   • Cyberbullying and harassment
   • Creation of harmful deepfakes and memes
   • Identity theft for fraudulent purposes
   • Exploitation in pedophile forums
   • Emotional distress and long-term impact on children

2. Statistics and Findings:

   • 45.5% of teenagers report their parents share their images online.
   • 23.8% of these teenagers feel embarrassed, and 18.8% feel dissatisfied with this practice.

3. Ethical and Legal Guidance:

   • Images of children are considered personal data and require careful handling.
   • Adults must be aware of legal obligations and potential negative impacts.
   • Consent for sharing images should be precise, voluntary, and well-documented.

4. Practical Recommendations:

   • Obtain explicit consent from parents or guardians.
   • Avoid sharing identifiable images of children.
   • Use graphical elements to obscure children’s faces.
   • Educate children about their right to privacy and involve them in decisions about their images.

5. Support for Institutions:

   • Schools, preschools, and organizations must implement child protection standards.
   • Institutions should lead by example in respecting children’s privacy rights.

You can find the press release here and a machine translation on my blog here.