How should I talk about privacy and security with my kids?
Dr. Yaxing Yao, Dr. Toby Li, Lanjing Liu, Chaoran Chen, Julia Qian.
We have complied a list of resources that you can use to learn about privacy and security together with your kids! The information provided on this page is presented by the HOPSEC Lab at the Johns Hopkins University and the Sandwich Lab at the University of Notre Dame.
Interactive Sandbox
Try our interactive privacy learning sandbox here!
General Guides for Parents
- Common Sense Media – Privacy and Internet Safety – Guides, videos, and conversation starters on privacy topics.
- ConnectSafely.org – Parent Guides – Downloadable guides for apps, platforms, and online behaviors.
- National PTA – The Smart Talk – Interactive tool for creating tech agreements with kids.
- KidSMART Resources - Free educational content, videos, and lesson plans for parents and teachers on topics like grooming, cyberbullying, and privacy safe
Resources for Teaching Kids
- Google’s Be Internet Awesome – Free curriculum and the Interland game for online safety.
- PBS Kids – Cyberchase Games – Interactive internet safety game for younger children.
- Internet Matters – Online Privacy and Safety by Age – Age-specific checklists and guidance for parents.
Books for Parents & Kids
- Raising Humans in a Digital World by Diana Graber – Digital literacy and safety guide for parents of tweens/teens.
- Digital Kids by Dr. Martin L. Kutscher – Balancing screen time and tech boundaries.
- Chicken Clicking by Jeanne Willis – A fun picture book about online safety for ages 5–8.
Parental Control and Safety Tools
- Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) – Parental control tools, platform safety info, and best practices.
- The National College (UK) – Downloadable guides for popular apps, games, and social media platforms.
Funding: This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant CNS-2426397. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.