Outgoing Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait says organisations cannot assume that a person has given informed consent simply because they have accepted a set of terms and conditions.
A photograph of a child at a swimming lesson. A video from a school sports day. A family picture shared on social media. A post about a child's achievements, or details of their lives shared during a family dispute or in the aftermath of a death.
These may appear to be ordinary moments of communication or personal expression. But as more aspects of children's lives find their way onto social media, questions are emerging about who has the right to share their information, how far that right extends and what happens when the children themselves have little say in the matter.
The debate has become particularly visible in online conversations involving children of public figures, including the children of the late musician Betty Bayo, as well as discussions surrounding the late IT professional Rosemary Kimwatu. While members of the public may be seeking to understand or comment on family circumstances, the conversations can quickly extend to the children left behind, with their photographs, personal circumstances and social media posts becoming material for public discussion.
For data governance researcher Grace Bomu, the distinction between discussing a deceased person and exposing information about those who…
