Talking About Privacy and Sharing Information Online
Sharing information online is a normal part of how young people connect and express themselves. This guide offers practical ways to talk about privacy, helping your child make informed choices and stay in control of what they share.
Young people share a lot of information online, often without thinking about who might see it. Talking about privacy can help your child understand what’s personal, set boundaries, and make safer decisions.
What to know
Online communication and interaction in public spaces can be a normal part of how many young people connect, communicate, and express themselves online. Its how they stay connected with friends, express their identity and take part in online communities and sometimes they may share information about themselves in conversations and posts.
Sometimes it can be hard for them to find the right balance with how much they are sharing, and understanding who might see it or how it could be used or reshared.
Personal information is anything that can identify you, describe you or be used to learn more about you, and it should be protected online. Even small pieces of information can build a bigger picture when combined. Personal information can include:
- your name, age, or location,
- photos, videos, or posts
- school, routines, or activities
- usernames or profiles
Privacy online isn’t just about secrecy, it’s about awareness, understanding boundaries and making informed choices. It’s important not to assume that your child understands privacy settings or risks; what helps most is supporting your child to build skills to recognise personal information, think about audience and context and pause before sharing. Having ongoing, open conversations about protecting online privacy is an essential online safety tool in addition to using privacy settings and device controls.
Top tips for talking about it
Start with curiosity about what they share
Young people share information online every day often without thinking too much about it. Starting with curiosity helps you understand what your child is sharing and why, without making them feel criticised, and opens the conversation in a natural, non-judgemental way.
You might say:
- “What kinds of things do people your age usually share online?”
- “What do you like sharing?”
- “Who do you usually share things with?”
Understanding what your child shares helps you guide them without making them feel monitored.
Help them understand what “personal information” really means
Young people often think of personal information as just their name, address and phone number. But it can also include photos and videos, school or location, interests, routines, or habits, and usernames or gaming profiles. Helping them see the bigger picture builds awareness.
You might say:
- “What kinds of information do you think are personal?”
- “What could someone learn about you from what you share?”
- “Would you feel comfortable if anyone could see that?”
Understanding what counts as personal information helps young people make more informed choices about what they share.
Talk about audiences...not everything is private
Young people often feel like they’re just sharing with friends, followers or a specific group. But, content can be screenshotted, shared more widely and reach people they don’t know. Helping them think about audience helps shift perspective.
You might say:
- “Who do you think can see what you share?”
- “Could that be shared beyond that group?”
- “Would you be okay if more people saw it?”
Thinking about who might see something helps young people pause before sharing.
Help them think ahead about consequences
Sharing can feel quick and harmless in the moment but it can have longer-term effects. This doesn’t need to be framed as fear, just awareness.
You might say:
- “How might you feel about that post later on?”
- “Would you still be okay with it in a year?”
- “Could it affect how others see you?”
Thinking ahead helps young people make decisions they’ll feel comfortable with later.
Encourage them to trust their instincts
If something feels uncomfortable to share, that’s usually worth paying attention to. Young people don’t always need a rule, they need confidence in their judgement.
You might say:
- “If you’re unsure, it’s okay not to share.”
- “You don’t have to post or reply straight away.”
- “What helps you decide when something feels okay?”
Trusting their instincts helps young people make safer, more confident choices online.
Talk about pressure and oversharing
Sometimes young people feel pressure to share to fit in, to keep up with others, or to respond quickly. Helping them recognise this makes it easier to step back.
You might say:
- “Do people ever feel pressure to share things online?”
- “What would you do if someone asked for something personal?”
- “Is it easy or hard to say no?”
Recognising pressure helps young people stay in control of what they share.
Keep the focus on balance, not restriction
Privacy isn’t about never sharing, it’s about making thoughtful choices. Avoid framing it as “don’t share anything” and instead focus on making informed decisions, understanding risks, protecting personal information and staying in control.
You might say:
- “It’s okay to share things, it’s about knowing what feels right.”
- “How do you decide what’s okay to post?”
- “What helps you feel in control of your information?”
Focusing on balance helps your child make thoughtful choices rather than feel restricted.
Let them know they can come to you, no matter what
If your child shares something they regret, they may feel embarrassed or worried about getting in trouble. Reassure them that they can always talk to you.
You might say:
- “If you ever share something and feel unsure, you can talk to me.”
- “You won’t be in trouble for being honest.”
- “We can figure things out together.”
Knowing they can come to you without judgement makes it easier to ask for help if something goes wrong.
Bonus Conversation Starters
These questions don’t need to be asked all at once. One small conversation at a time can help build trust and emotional awareness over time.
- “What kinds of things do people your age usually share online?”
- “How do you decide what’s okay to post?”
- “Who do you think can see what you share?”
- “What would you keep private?”
- “Do people ever feel pressure to share things?”
- “What would you do if someone asked for personal information?”
- “How do you know if something is safe to share?”
- “What helps you decide when to post something?”
- “Who could you talk to if you weren’t sure?”
- “What advice would you give a friend about sharing online?”
If you're concerned...
If your child feels unsure about something they’ve shared, or something someone has asked them to share, it’s important they feel able to pause and talk about it.
Encourage them to:
- stop and think before sharing more
- avoid responding to pressure
- review or remove content if needed
- talk to someone they trust or contact Netsafe
You might say:
- “If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to pause.”
- “You don’t have to share anything you’re not comfortable with.”
- “We can talk through it together.”
You don’t need to control everything your child shares to keep them safe. Staying curious, open, and connected helps them build the awareness and confidence to make thoughtful choices about their information.
