ICO-backed report examines how data shapes children's online lives

A longitudinal study by the research agency Revealing Reality, commissioned by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), explores how children's lives and information rights intersect with the digital world. Now in its second year, the Children's Data Lives project highlights that a complex blend of social factors, platform design, and parental intervention influences a child's online experience.

The latest findings reveal how normal parts of growing up, such as forming relationships, changing friendships and seeking greater independence, affect how much data children are willing to share. As they work towards financial independence, children are also motivated to sign up for new platforms and share their data.

The report also found that digital platforms' design and functionality play a significant role in shaping children's ability to make informed decisions about their data. Researchers concluded that awareness and understanding of data agreements remain limited, age assurance measures are often ineffective and inconsistent, and platform recommender algorithms significantly influence children's online and offline lives. The study underscores that children's data decisions are shaped by the digital environments they navigate and the dominance of a small number of platforms.