Ep 112: Consequences of Your Teen’s Digital Footprint

Leah Plunkett, author of Sharenthood, joins Andy for a discussion
on the consequences and benefits of our teens’ extensive digital
footprint. We leave more data behind us than we think--who is
using it and for what purposes?


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Full show notes


It’s not always easy to know what to share about your kids
online. You might want to celebrate how cute they look in a
Winnie the Pooh Halloween costume by posting a picture on
Instagram, or share your grievances on Facebook when they just
won’t stop wetting the bed. When you decide to snap that pic or
type that post however, you might be doing more damage to your
kid’s future and reputation than you realize.


Today we’re talking about how, even when parents have the best
intentions, they may submit their kids to certain risks by
posting information online. So much of your information can be
found and used online in ways that can be harmful to your
children, ways you might not even expect. Although social media
can be a great place to share and socialize with friends and
family, extra vigilance about your kid’s internet presence is
becoming more and more necessary as it becomes cheaper and easier
for companies and individuals to collect your data.


In this episode, we’re sitting down with Leah Plunkett, author of
Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk about Our Kids
Online. Leah serves as a Faculty Affiliate at the Berkman Klein
Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, and is a
leading expert on digital privacy and data collection, especially
among young folks. Leah’s expertise on digital media, privacy,
and adolescence make for an eye-opening interview about how you
can guide yourself and your kids towards more responsible,
literate use of the online landscape.


Leah and I discuss a broad range of topics, covering everything
from why your kids might be affected by your seemingly innocuous
Facebook posts, what information is at risk of being collected
and exploited from your online activity, and whether or not
parents should consider implementing surveillance technology to
spy on their teen’s internet behavior.


Why You Should Watch What You Share


As a parent, it can be really rewarding to log on and share what
your kids are up to; it gives you the chance to chat with other
parents and include your friends and family in your child’s
growth! However, there are some things Leah says you might want
to be aware of before you hit post...because when something goes
online there’s a chance that it can never truly be erased.


For starters, posting a picture of your kid with frosting all
over their face and down their shirt might seem pretty cute to
you, but could potentially embarrass them down the line. Although
this may not seem super obvious when kids are still young,
bullies can emerge as your kid reaches adolescence, bullies who
might be on the prowl for images and facts about your teen that
can be used to humiliate them. Leah suggests taking some time to
think about how what you post might come around to bite your kid
in the butt in a few years.


There are also some frightening figures online who can use
information about your kids for nefarious purposes. By sharing
data about a kid’s whereabouts, their likes and dislikes, what
they fear or where they hang out, you may be submitting that
information to dangerous folks who lurk on the internet. Now,
this doesn’t mean you should immediately sound the alarm and
remove every trace of your kid’s existence from Facebook, but
there are some ways you can moderate your posts to ensure your
kid is safe from these internet predators. Leah and I talk more
about this in the episode.


The bottom line is that kids are generally too young to consent
to being posted about and shared on the web, so Leah says it’s
important to take some serious caution about how and where they
are portrayed. While you may only have the best intentions, there
are always ways your kid’s data could be used to harm them. This
goes beyond just cyberbullying or internet predators, with big
tech likely collecting huge amounts of data on you and your kids
in recent times and using it for all sorts of purposes.


The Dark Truth About Data Collection


You may have heard that companies like Facebook and Google could
be collecting some of your data and using it to give you
personalized content or targeted ads--but are you aware of just
how much data all sorts of companies are gathering about you and
your family?


Leah dives into just how much information companies are
collecting, and how they’re using it. Surprisingly, companies can
collect data from things as seemingly innocent as the learning
software that your kids use at school, or games they download and
play on their phones. Frustratingly, there is not a cohesive
location, method or protocol for people to find out how their
data is being used.


By collecting data about kids online tendencies, attitudes, and
habits, companies are able to understand how your child thinks
and behaves. This information can then be used in decisions about
whether to hire them or grant them admission to college when they
grow up. There are hiring companies that harness and combine all
of this data to know how well an individual will perform as an
employee. When faced with a large pool of applicants, businesses
can pay to find out who is the best candidate for the job, and
who can be disqualified.


Although this might worry you, don’t fret. Leah and I discuss
possible solutions to this issue in the episode, talking about
specific ways companies can become more accountable in the future
for the spread of your data. You might also be wondering,
however, how you can talk to your teen about all this, and if you
should step in to monitor their online activity. Luckily, Leah’s
got some answers for you.


Why Surveilling Your Child Might Not Be The
Answer


When you become aware of just how much data about your kid is up
for collection, it can be tempting to install software that
controls what media your kid engages with and how much time they
spend browsing the web. However, Leah recommends refraining from
doing so, as this teaches them a damaging lesson--that
surveillance is a natural part of interacting with the online
space.


Instead, Leah suggests having open and value-based discussions
with them about media literacy and their media usage. Although
you might feel nervous or unsure about how to approach them about
these ideas, Leash stresses how essential these talks can be. She
and I chat more in the episode about specific ways you can
initiate this kind of discussion and methods you can use to guide
your teen away from potentially risky internet behavior.


According to Leah, the important thing is making sure your kids
have the agency and the ability to make their own judgments about
what’s safe and what’s not. When it comes down to it, that’s what
matters most about helping keep our kids safe online. We want
them to grow up independent and free to follow their chosen path
in life, without data collection or negative online forces
getting in the way. By making sure our kids can protect
themselves, we give them the gift of a safe future.


In the Episode…


It was very eye-opening to chat with Leah this week about the
many d...