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Step 5: Identify and assess risks

Contents

Describe source of risk and nature of potential impact on individuals.

Include as a minimum an assessment of particular risks to children as listed in the DPIA standard in the Age appropriate design code. You may need to consider separately for different age groups.

Likelihood of harm

Remote, possible or probable

Severity of harm

Minimal, significant or severe

Overall risk

Low, medium or high

  1. Profiling that infers children's personal information is done without adequate transparency or safeguards, or is not in the best interests of the child risking children’s right to development and preservation of identity.
possible significant medium
  1. Personalised targeting of service features that generate revenue (targeted ads or the availability of apps to download from the app store) that are set to on-by-default, or without adequate transparency and safeguards that risks children’s right to protection from economic exploitation.
possible severe high
  1. Use of (game-play) data that contravenes health standards and guidelines (eg issues by the Chief Medical Officer or Public Health England). Risk that data-enabled service personalisation leads to excessive engagement that impacts on the child’s right to health.
possible significant medium
  1. Personalised content that exposes children to content that is damaging to health (for example age-inappropriate products, suicide and self-harm content or inaccurate health information) that risks children’s right to life, survival and development.
possible severe high
  1. On-by-default data sharing with other service users exposes children to risks of violence or abuse (for example through stalking or harrasment).
possible severe high
  1. Data relating to identity is shared with other service users through on-by-default settings, or without adequate transparency and safeguards, risking children’s right to development and preservation of identity.
remote significant medium
  1. Lack of age assurance measures on services that allow children to access or create unlawful sexual content, and risks children’s right to protection from sexual exploitation.
remote severe medium
  1. Connected devices gathering data within private spaces (eg a child's home), without adequate transparency or safeguards (eg passive listening), risking children’s right to protection of privacy.
possible severe high