Would you let your child engage in unprotected text? Taking precautions with the Internet is the theme of international Data Protection Day.

The massive awareness drive involves educators, privacy professionals, the EU governments and the European Commission. The head of Spain’s data protection agency tells why events and activities organised throughout the EU this year place an emphasis on young people: “Information like postal address, photos or where they go to school can be used by dishonest people to commit dangerous crimes. For example? Sexual attacks targetting minors.” Many world wide web users have increasingly been horrified to find their personal identities hung out for all to see. Jorge Lloreda has regrets about getting in on a social networking website, Facebook. “Only my friends should be able to see my content,” he said after it showed up in the clear through the search engine Google. A Commission study found that only a third of 15 to 24-year-olds are aware they have rights in relation to their own personal data. The study gives a picture of what the supervisory national authorities in the EU are doing and need to do to promote awareness on data protection.

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