I’ve been watching my children using the web more and more as they get older. Being a responsible adult, I’m keen on keeping track of what they are doing, and what information they give out on any site they register with. They know this too, and always check with me before handing over any personal details.
It was refreshing then, when my ten year old signed up to a child targeted web service, to find they email the parents for permission first. Even better, the email I received even outlined what information they have collected, expect to collect in the future and let me choose the privacy settings and parent alerts (emails that are triggered when certain actions occur).
What fantastic engagement! Sure, it may be ten-year-olds that use the service, but the website owners really understand who their customers really are: the consumers handing over the money are all adults, and typically concerned parents.
This is a great activity for you to undertake, irrespective of whether you have children signing up or not. What information could you share with users or their stakeholders to allay any fears, and make them more comfortable with the process?
Those with ecommerce sites could take some of this learning away, along with anyone who has a service that requires users to hand over information.
Take your obligations seriously, and look for opportunities to better inform your users.
Miles BurkeAs Director of Bam Creative, and Chairperson of the Australian Web Industry Association, Miles spends his time managing his business or speaking about managing businesses. Recently awarded as one of the top Western Australian entrepreneurs under 40 years old, Miles can also be found writing at his blog.
