As Data Privacy Week gets underway, Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner is shining a spotlight on an issue that continues to grow in urgency: protecting the personal information of children and youth in an increasingly digital world.

From classrooms to social media platforms, children’s data is being collected, shared, and stored at an unprecedented scale. According to Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod, this reality demands stronger safeguards and greater accountability from governments, schools, and technology providers alike.

“Children and youth are among the most vulnerable users of digital services,” McLeod said, noting that technology used for education and social interaction requires heightened care and oversight.

Recent legislative changes reflect that concern. Alberta’s new Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) now formally designates children’s personal information as sensitive, triggering additional protections and stricter handling requirements. The Commissioner has also urged that upcoming reforms to Alberta’s private-sector privacy laws further strengthen protections for young people.

Over the past year, Alberta’s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) has been involved in several high-profile initiatives focused on children’s data:

• In late 2025, Alberta joined privacy regulators across Canada in issuing a joint statement urging responsible use of educational technologies in classrooms, calling for minimal data collection and stronger safeguards.
• The OIPC also investigated the PowerSchool data breach, which affected school boards across Alberta and beyond. That investigation underscored the serious consequences organizations face when children’s personal information is not adequately protected.
• Alberta participated in a global privacy enforcement effort examining apps and educational tools used by children, with results expected later this year.
• Regulators also jointly investigated TikTok, finding weaknesses in age-assurance measures and privacy protections that allowed advertisers to target youth.

Taken together, these efforts point to a broader shift: privacy regulators are increasingly pushing for “privacy by design,” especially where children are concerned. This includes discouraging so-called deceptive design practices—features that nudge or manipulate young users into sharing more information than is in their best interests.

“Children deserve to learn and play without having their personal information misused or exploited,” McLeod said, adding that children should not be exposed to harm in the pursuit of profit.

As technology continues to shape education and social life, Alberta’s privacy watchdog says collaboration—across provinces, nationally, and even internationally—will be key to ensuring children’s rights remain protected.

For families, educators, and communities, Data Privacy Week serves as a reminder that while digital tools can offer enormous benefits, safeguarding children’s privacy must remain a shared responsibility.