When your child downloads an app, they typically agree — without reading — to a privacy policy that may allow the app to track their location, collect their contacts, monitor their behavior across other apps, and sell or share that data with third parties. Children are among the most comprehensively tracked demographic groups in digital advertising. Understanding how that tracking works — and how to reduce it — is an essential part of modern digital parenting.
What Is Being Collected?
The categories of data collected from children's apps include: location data (both precise GPS and approximate network-based location); device identifiers (used to track a user across apps even without an account); behavioral data (what they tap, how long they spend, what they skip); social graph data (who they message, call, follow); biometric data (facing recognition in some apps, voice samples); and content data (photos, messages, search queries). Most of this is collected to support advertising targeting, though it is also sold to data brokers who aggregate it into detailed profiles.
Particularly High-Risk App Categories
Some categories of apps are especially aggressive in data collection: social media platforms (designed from the ground up for behavioral modeling); free games (often supported by advertising networks that require behavioral tracking); AI companions (which collect detailed emotional and conversational data); and any app requiring account creation with email or phone number. The permissions screen on installation is the single most important moment — if an app requires location, microphone, or contacts access and you can't see why it needs them, that's a red flag.
Children-Specific Legal Protections
In the United States, COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) prohibits apps from collecting personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. Many apps technically comply by requiring users to confirm they're 13 or older — setting the threshold but not enforcing it. COPPA is enforced against apps; it does not prevent children from lying about their age. The European Union's GDPR provides stronger protections but similar practical gaps. Parents should not assume age-gating protects their children — they should verify what an app actually requests.
Practical Privacy Steps for Families
Review app permissions with your child before installation — make it a habit, not a lecture. On iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security shows every app's permissions and lets you revoke them individually. On Android: Settings → Apps → Permissions Manager. Turn off ad tracking network-wide through your router if possible (Pi-hole is a popular open-source option). Require parental approval for any new app installation — either through device settings or through a family agreement. Use a password manager to ensure children don't reuse passwords across services.