International privacy regulators target children’s apps and websites in 2025 sweep
More than thirty data protection and privacy authorities worldwide will inspect websites and mobile applications commonly used by children during the 2025 Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) privacy sweep held from November 3 to 7. The review will focus on whether services that children use collect personal data, provide clear privacy information, implement age assurance measures, and apply privacy-protective controls to limit the collection and use of children’s information. Coordinators for the sweep are the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, and the Office of the Data Protection Authority of Guernsey.
The sweep recognises that digital services are an integral part of children’s lives for learning, self-expression, socialising, and community connection, and it evaluates whether online services consider children’s best interests. Regulators will assess risks such as online tracking, profiling, targeted advertising, and exposure to inappropriate or harmful content, as well as whether operators adopt appropriate safeguards under data protection law. Special attention will be given to transparency, lawful bases for processing, and data minimisation principles relevant to children.
This exercise marks the 10th anniversary of a similar children’s privacy sweep conducted in 2015, enabling authorities to compare findings and measure progress over a decade. The GPEN sweep also supports cross-border cooperation in enforcing privacy laws by identifying common compliance gaps and informing targeted guidance, education, or enforcement actions. Authorities will compile evidence and examples to inform recommendations and potential follow-up actions under applicable data protection frameworks, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where relevant.
Results from the sweep will be consolidated into a report to be published in the coming months, with the aim of increasing awareness of children’s privacy rights and encouraging stronger protections across online services. The initiative is part of GPEN’s ongoing programme of international privacy sweeps that began in 2013, designed to promote consistent enforcement and shared best practices among data protection authorities worldwide.
