Small Business Awards 2020

Since its inception, and to this day, PRIVO is the first and leading global industry expert in children’s online privacy, identity, and delegated consent management. As the world becomes more and more technologically savvy, the young people and children of the world are more and more immersed in this world and therefore at risk from those who would do harm. PRIVO has been developing privacy solutions to empower positive, transparent, and secure online relationships between companies, families, and schools. We find out more having profiled the firm following its award win. As an FTC-approved COPPA Safe Harbor since 2004, PRIVO has been responsible for working hard to develop privacy solutions for online relationships involving children’s online privacy, identity, and consent. Whether it be certifying games, apps, or websites that many people know and use, PRIVO is there for its clients and their children. PRIVO provides customers with end-to-end privacy solutions, helping businesses to either engage safely and legally with minors, or to restrict minors’ access, consistent with customer specifications or as required by law for select industries and verticals. Just a handful of PRIVO’s clients include Beano, Roald Dahl, Elf on the Shelf, Moose Toys, Crayola, Kawasaki, and more. For all of these clients and many more, PRIVO’s mission is to enable organizations to safely, responsibly, and fully engage with children and families online. For many years, online privacy has been understood very little, and cared about even less. Until recently, that is. Pioneering the marketplace has been the biggest challenge, but also the biggest reward for firms such as PRIVO. When the firm was started, there were no roadmaps on how to protect privacy online, especially when it came to protecting children. For many years, it was a challenge to communicate the importance of online privacy, but today that has changed. Today, the world is seeing that both businesses and individuals alike are really started to realize just how important online privacy is to the future, and why the services offered by PRIVO are absolutely essential. Within the competitive landscape, PRIVO has positioned itself as a leader due to the first-mover arrival in the children’s identity market and the breadth of services that the firm offers. Online privacy has undoubtedly become more and more important in 2020, with so many people working from home and relying on online tools to keep them connected, social, and together. Beyond the personal connection, technology is also allowing more than one billion students to continue learning safely. Prior to school closures and lockdowns, PRIVO already was aware that online users under thirteen years old had become one of the fastest growing digital audiences around the world. Almost half of US tweens have a smartphone now, and 81% of the world’s children have an online presence. In the wake of COVID0-19, kids are online near quadrupling digital engagement and screen time. Now is the time for companies to get it right when it comes to responsibly engaging with youth and their families. Children need to own their online identity, allowing for a single sign on (SSO) with minimal information being collected, proper age verification, and the ability to receive parental consent. Not only do they need control over their personal data, as do their parents, but they should also be afforded safety measures and protection from harm just as they are in the offline world. At the same time, this online safety should not be an obstacle to letting children build a trusting relationship with their most loved brands. The SSO should grow with the child through their teens, and beyond into adulthood. Fostering a privacy-preserving digital ecosystem which encourages organizations to safely and responsibly engage with children and families is paramount, not just for legal compliance, but for building a stronger brand. Ultimately, in the world today, children are always online. There is no off switch in their world, so turning a blind eye on protecting children whilst they are online is not the answer. To continue to engage this increasingly captive user base now and post-COVID-19, companies need to think about how they are going to retain and foster these young users. Is there a digital strategy in place to let children create accounts when they are under thirteen years of age? In dealing with this, PRIVO is the perfect partner. It is a firm that understands that digital growth should not come at the expense of the child’s online privacy and safety, and PRIVO is fully deserving of this award recognition for its work. Company: PRIVO (Privacy Vaults Online, Inc.) Contact: Shauna Leff Website: https://www.privo.com/ Oct20010 Small Business Awards 2020 85 Best Children’s Online Safety Solutions Provider 2020