A new U-M study suggests that when it comes to digital privacy, children often do not see the negative consequences of someone tracking items belonging to someone else. Lead author Susan Gelman, professor of psychology and linguistics, says digital privacy is of growing concern, given the increasing use of technological devices that track object locations, revealing personal information regarding an individual’s movements and activities. Cell phone ownership has been on the rise for the last decade, including among children 8-10 years of age. About a third of this group owns a cell phone. The findings raise an urgent question: what is the best way to protect children? Gelman said it starts by educating children about potential dangers, and providing clear guidelines and limits for how and when their phones and accounts should be shared.
