decentralize.today Privacy Cookbook - Chapter 15 - Keeping Kids Secure
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Privacy Cookbook - Chapter 15 - Keeping Kids Secure
In this new chapter; I'm looking into privacy for kids. In today's digital age, where everyone is online pretty much 24/7 it is even more important to have a secure and safe setup for the little ones as well as for the teenagers (who think they know it all).
A major issue we've encountered since the arrival of COVID-19 has been learning from home and many schools 'adapted' to this new normal by using some horrible software to do so. My wife's cousin, for example, needs to use TikTok for her PE classes. Updates for my kid come in via Facebook Messenger (and email for me!) and Zoom is what they use most days, all day long for schooling. And all this despite there being so many much better solutions, more privacy-friendly solutions out there. BigBlueButton for example. But it seems some schools are happy using everything that is against privacy all day long...Google Docs, Microsoft etc. etc. all for the education of our kids.
I will shortly publish a chapter in the Privacy Cookbook specifically for schools where I write from deep in my heart and hope everyone who has kids forwards it to their kids school and tries to convince them to look at changing away from some of these softwares.
But what to do now? I understand your kid has little or no choice as to their schools use of invasive software.
Maybe make a start by explaining to the teachers and administrators there that it is not ok to upload your kids' picture on Facebook, it is your right to demand this and they must ask permission!! And even if they receive the picture via Messenger, this doesn't mean they can just upload any such image onto the school's Facebook page.
Make a School Only Setup
Have a device reserved only for school! Linux is, of course, the best solution and use Firefox as the browser. Then you can use Zoom and Facebook, when forced to, and all the other privacy invasive crap via the browser only! It's even better when using browser containers.
If you use the computer after school for other things, separate school and private life with multiple container setups.
If you make the switch to a Linux device consider firejailing your browser. This will make sure the browser can only access the download folder (or any folder you specify during the setup). In other words Facebook, Zoom, Google and the like can only access the browser itself and the download folder. You can later move downloads to other folders, so this is not stopping the ability to save things for school for later.
Follow these instructions on how to install Firejail from the official GitHub page:
netblue30GitHub
Afterwards, just start up your terminal and type:
firejail firefox
Or if you want your entire desktop setup firejailed, just type:
firecfg --fix-soundsudo firecfg
If you don't use Linux, but instead perhaps an iPad, MacOS or even Windows computer consider a NextDNS setup - you can control the services that can be used and block others as deemed necessary.
NextDNS has a solution for every device and all are easy to integrate. I highly recommend this solution for having more control over your kids online access and behaviors. If you choose, you can log the traffic for a specific amount of time or specified period of time then check what websites your kid is using and what background apps are 'traffic-kimg' on your network. You can then block as required. An easy tool that every parent can adopt and it will help you sleep easier. NextDNS has a large number of apps and services that can be blocked and an extensive array of blocklists. It will give you less to no ads when in use so consider using it yourself.
Alternatively, just allow them to be used at a specific time.
Additionally, you can adjust the screen on time on iOS and macOS devices. Surely something you can dig more deeply into in order to address your individual circumstances but I will have an entire write-up on this soon.
The main point is that your kids need their formal education, but even when at home they still need protection and you shouldn't give in to everything the school wants you to do, you can restrain the connection to the device.
Remember, your kid is in a development phase and social cooling is a serious thing.
Privacy AdvocateDecentralize.Today
Separate school from their private device if you can. If they only have one device, and it's a laptop or desktop, then maybe go the Linux route. Isolate and use most apps in the browser, and make sure other kids and parents and, of course, the school itself is not using your kids' screenshots or pictures on their social media pages. You have rights and in doing this you are protecting those of your children for now and into the future! You are their custodian and guardian, remember this when pushing back.
Stay safe, stay secure!
The Privacy Advocate
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