Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario launches Privacy Pursuit! Games and Activities for Kids

TORONTO, ON (September 23, 2021) – The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) has released, Privacy Pursuit! Games and Activities for Kids, a fun and free resource to help children learn more about personal privacy and how to protect themselves online.

Using entertaining activities like word searches, crosswords, word matches, and cryptogram puzzles, Privacy Pursuit! helps kids learn how to:

• use, strengthen, and protect passwords
• limit what information they share online
• develop privacy empathy
• respect the privacy of others
• avoid online scams and
• protect themselves against cyber threats

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s use of the internet and social media networks has risen significantly. Making sure they understand the privacy risks of the technologies they use has never been more important,” said Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. “This privacy activity book is a fun way of equipping our kids with the skills they need to enjoy online activities safely and helping them grow and develop as informed digital citizens.”

The activities can be done individually or with siblings, friends, parents, and teachers. They are designed to provide a fun opportunity for kids to learn about online safety through self-reflection and discovery, and can help spark deeper conversations about what privacy means to them and to others.

“Young people are subject to as much surveillance as adults online, and the data that’s collected about them – as well as the choices they make about what they share and publish – have the potential to affect their whole lives,” said Matthew Johnson, Director of Education for MediaSmarts, Canada’s centre for digital media literacy. “Privacy Pursuit! is a great way to introduce young people, and the adults in their lives, to these issues and the things we can do to take control of them.”

As part of its recently released strategic priorities, the IPC has identified Children and Youth in a Digital World as one of four key priority areas that will guide its efforts now and into the future. The IPC’s goal is to champion the access and privacy rights of Ontario’s children and youth by promoting their digital literacy and the expansion of their digital rights while holding institutions accountable for protecting the children and youth they serve.

Additional Resources

• Download and print Privacy Pursuit! Games and Activities for Kids
• Commissioner’s blog: Privacy Pursuit! Teaching kids about privacy in a fun way
• IPC Info Matters podcast: Teaching kids about privacy
• More resources related to the IPC’s strategic priority of Children and Youth in a Digital World

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