40% of UK parents and 50% of US parents use apps that track where their children are however these applications have been found to have some major security issues.
Children’s Security
It is not uncommon for parents to have access to their children’s social media or phone, tracking is another way of parents ensuring and keeping and eye on what their child is doing. Everyone has heard horror stories of people abusing the online space to manipulate children.
Security flaws
Research has shown that there are numerous security issues based around applications with some applications linking to various sites some deemed unsafe. While others have issues around how they are tracking and are susceptible to man in the middle attacks.
Human Security
Tracking applications are only as secure and useful as the user setting it up and operating. If an individual using these applications is not as savvy with security this inherently means the security is weaker. As well known in the security industry around 90% of breaches are human error and enabling a child and adult to give away their location via a breach is a risk.
Clarity
These applications lack any clarity on what they are doing exactly and more importantly how they are handling your children’s data. The applications main goal arguably is to violate privacy and through this they are collection both the parents and child’s data.
Data on children
Data on children is a protected class and is very sensitive however depending on what is disclosed when you agree to the application does enable the company to use the data. One thing we do know is data on what children download and use is one of the most sought after data groups.
What is the solution
It depends, which sounds like an ambiguous statement. However trusting your children is something recommended by various parties in security as having a trojan style piece of software that can further compromise your child is never good. It is also worth considering what is being done with their data and how better education can help protect them. However if you do your research and pick a secure well designed application you will be reducing your risk and increasing security of your child but at a cost.
For a more data heavy breakdown a article is available here.
Last weeks article on VPN use is available here.
