Why I make my kids read privacy policies

[Commentary] I -- the mom -- am a lawyer. In fact, I am a lawyer who has been helping Internet companies write privacy policies and terms of service and generally navigate global regulations for almost 20 years. More recently, I served as President Barack Obama’s Deputy Chief Technology Officer focused on Internet, privacy (yes, including big data), and innovation. My teen’s particular dislike of privacy policies is borne of our household rules for accessing Web services or downloading new mobile applications. We have three basic rules:

1) You have to read the privacy policy before you create an account or download an app.
2) You have to explain to Mom what gets shared and with whom.
3) Mom and Dad have final say.

My kids hate these rules. Yes, I know that most of the population doesn't read the small print of privacy policies. It makes their eyes glaze over. I don’t love privacy policies either, notwithstanding the fact that I have drafted scores of them over the years. But teaching kids to read a privacy policy is like teaching them to look both ways before they cross the street. It’s a basic safety rule that instills both caution and judgment. Whether you are helping your younger child set up a kid’s account or talking with your teen about what’s on her ever-present phone, the privacy policy opens an opportunity for both of you to talk about what they may encounter online.

[Wong is the former US Deputy Chief Technology Officer, focusing on Internet, privacy, and innovation policy]