TL;DR: Apps in 2026 are thirstier for data than ever, but iOS 26’s PermissionKit and Android’s updated Privacy Dashboard actually give us the upper hand for once. Stop giving "Always Allow" access to everything. Use Approximate Location, Limited Photo Library, and the new AI Data Siloing to keep your kid’s digital footprint small.
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I was looking at a friend's iPad the other day while our kids were trying to figure out if they could make a "Skibidi Toilet" meme in a basic sketching app. A pop-up appeared: "DrawEverything wants to access your Precise Location and Local Network."
Wait, what?
It’s a drawing app. Why does it need to know that we’re currently sitting in a Starbucks in the suburbs? Why does it need to talk to my printer or my smart fridge?
In 2026, the answer is usually "AI training" or "ad targeting," but to your kid, it’s just an annoying button standing between them and a digital crayon. If we just click "Allow" to make the pop-up go away, we’re essentially handing over a map of our kid's life to a company that might not even exist in two years.
Managing permissions isn't just about being "tech-savvy" anymore; it’s about digital boundaries. Here is how to handle the 2026 landscape without losing your mind.
Apple’s big move this year was PermissionKit. In the past, you had to hunt through the Settings app like you were looking for a lost AirTag in a couch. Now, iOS 26 groups everything into a single dashboard that actually explains why an app is asking for something in plain English (mostly).
The coolest (and most important) feature is Permission Summaries. If TikTok asks for your microphone, PermissionKit will tell you how many times it actually accessed that microphone in the last seven days. If the number is 400 and your kid only posted one video, you have a problem.
When an app asks for permission, it’s usually for one of three reasons:
- Functionality: Instagram needs the camera to take a photo. Obvious.
- Greed: A calculator app wants your contacts so it can sell that data to brokers.
- The "Ohio" Factor: Sometimes apps ask for permissions because the developers were lazy and just used a template that requests everything. It’s "Ohio" (weird/bad) behavior that we shouldn't reward.
Learn more about how data brokers target children's apps
This is the big one. Most apps do not need to know your "Precise Location."
- The Fix: Use "Approximate Location." This tells the app you’re in the general city area but not the specific house.
- The Rule: If it’s not a map or a weather app, it doesn't need your location. Even Roblox doesn't need to know where you are physically to let you play "Adopt Me."
Gone are the days of giving an app the keys to the entire gallery.
- The Fix: Use "Limited Access." If your kid wants to upload one drawing from Procreate to a school Discord, they should only grant access to that one photo.
- Why? Apps often scan your entire library to build an AI profile of what you buy, where you go, and who you hang out with.
This is the "sneaky" permission of 2026. Apps ask for this so they can "see" other devices on your Wi-Fi.
Roblox (Ages 7+)
Roblox is a permissions hog. It wants the microphone for voice chat and the camera for head-tracking (the "dynamic faces" feature).
- Our Take: If your kid isn't using voice chat, kill the microphone permission. It saves battery and privacy. If they are using it, make sure they understand that "voice chat" means Roblox is recording and processing that audio.
- Check out our full Roblox safety guide
Toca Boca World (Ages 4-10)
Generally, Toca Boca World is pretty respectful, but it often asks for "Tracking" (the IDFA).
- Our Take: Always click "Ask App Not to Track." There is no benefit to the child for allowing this; it only benefits the advertisers.
Snapchat (Ages 13+)
Snapchat is the king of "Precise Location" because of the Snap Map.
- Our Take: Ghost Mode is a non-negotiable. Even with Ghost Mode on, check the iOS/Android system settings to ensure the app isn't pinging the GPS every 5 minutes in the background.
- Is Snapchat safe for middle schoolers?
You don't want to be the "No" parent who just blocks everything without explanation. That just makes them want to hide their digital life from you. Instead, make it a conversation about "The Trade."
Explain it like this: "Every time an app asks for a permission, they are asking to take a little piece of your privacy in exchange for a feature. Is a 'funny' filter on Snapchat worth letting them know exactly which park you're at?"
Most kids get it when you frame it as someone "spying" or "creeping" on them. They hate the idea of a random company being "cringe" or "parasocial" with their data.
The "Permission Audit" Sunday
Once a month, do a "Permission Audit." Sit down with them, go to Settings > Privacy & Security (on iOS) or Settings > Privacy (on Android), and look at which apps have accessed the camera or location in the last 24 hours. If Coolmath Games (which they should be playing in a browser anyway!) is somehow asking for contacts, it’s a great teaching moment.
Ask our chatbot for a script to talk to your teen about privacy
If you see these, delete the app. No questions asked:
- Keyboard Access: Unless it’s a reputable one like Gboard, never allow "Full Access" to a third-party keyboard. It can log every single password and text your kid types.
- Health Data: Why does a photo editor need to access the Apple Health app? It doesn't. This is a massive red flag for data harvesting.
- Contacts for "Rewards": Any app that says "Unlock this skin by giving us access to your contacts" is essentially asking your kid to sell their friends' phone numbers. That’s a hard no.
In 2026, apps are designed to be "sticky" and data-hungry. But the tools we have—like PermissionKit and Android’s Privacy Sandbox—are actually quite powerful if we take five minutes to use them.
You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert. You just need to be a little bit skeptical. If a drawing app wants to know where you live, tell it to get lost.
- Open your kid's phone right now.
- Go to the Privacy Dashboard.
- Look at the "Screen Recording" and "Microphone" history.
- If anything looks "Ohio," toggle it off and have a 2-minute chat with your kid about why.
Check out our guide on the best privacy-first apps for kids
Learn more about the difference between 'Ask App Not to Track' and 'Limit Ad Tracking'