Family safety
Where your family's data leaks, and how to shut it down
Privacy risk isn't just hackers. It's data brokers, app permissions, and oversharing, quietly building a profile on everyone in your house.
Where does your family's data leak?
Data broker sites compiling public records into searchable profiles
App permissions for camera, mic, and location granted without a second look
Location data hidden in photo metadata before you post it
Oversharing on social media: school names, routines, travel dates
Data breaches at companies and apps your family has used
"Fun" quizzes and free apps that trade personal data for results
What is "sharenting," and why is it a risk?
Most privacy advice targets outside threats. This one is about a habit inside the house: what parents post about their own kids.
- Over 75% of parents share something about their kids on social media, and 8 in 10 have followers they've never met in person
- About 81% post a child's real name, while fewer than 1 in 4 parents ask the child first
- A single clear photo can be enough to train an AI deepfake or nudify tool; no separate "hack" is required
- School names, team rosters, and "first day of school" posts routinely reveal a child's location on a predictable schedule
- One industry estimate projects sharenting could be behind two-thirds of identity fraud against young people by 2030
Before posting, ask: would your child be okay with this being public at 16? At 30? If you're not sure, share it privately instead.
Why kids are targeted: a child's Social Security number has no credit history attached to it, which makes it valuable to thieves. The theft often isn't discovered for years, sometimes not until the child applies for their first credit card or loan.
How do you lock down your family's data?
- Freeze your credit and your kids' credit. It's free at all three bureaus by federal law
- Use a password manager with a unique password for every account
- Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere it's offered, and prefer an authenticator app or security key over text messages
- Review app permissions and revoke camera, mic, or location access apps don't need
- Turn off location tagging before posting photos publicly
- Keep school names, addresses, and routines out of public posts
- Opt out of data broker sites yourself, or use a removal service
- Shred documents containing Social Security numbers before disposal
Bitwarden
A free, open-source password manager that generates and stores unique passwords across every family member's devices.
bitwarden.com →1Password
A paid password manager with family and shared vaults, so parents and kids can securely share select logins without texting passwords.
1password.com →DeleteMe
A subscription service that finds your family's information on data broker sites and files ongoing removal requests on your behalf.
joindeleteme.com →Official guidance: consumer.ftc.gov has articles on protecting your child from identity theft and on credit freezes and fraud alerts.