Commissioner’s statement on privacy

Statement from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Koulla Yiasouma, on privacy:

“Children have a right to privacy, proportionate with how mature their parents judge them to be.

“If digital privacy laws change in 2018, which propose 13 as the age at which children should have privacy online, parents need to have confidence that their children can navigate their digital life safely and that they will come to them when they do not feel safe.

“In Northern Ireland we are still waiting on the E-Safety Strategy to be consulted on.

“I expect issues such as education and safety to be thoroughly addressed within this.

“It will now, of course, have to take account of proposed new privacy laws such as accessible terms and conditions and a child’s ‘right to be forgotten’ –  that is their right to request that online activity as a child be deleted.”

ENDS