I’m very much aware that I have no control over the decisions social media apps and organizations make, but it would have been nice to know that a strange little AI bot was going to show up as a Snapchat friend.

While it would be great to have your toes in the sand on a peaceful beach, or be perched up on a mountainside with incredible views while you meditate and relax your mind, that can’t always be the case -- especially as we navigate through life during a pandemic.

The educational apps your child is playing could be violating your preschoolers privacy and be in violation of the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act. A new study published Tuesday in Jama Pediatrics analyzed how developers collect and share personal digital information while children are using many of the tens of thousands of digital apps created for kids. The research found that 67% of apps played by children 3 to 4-years-old collected data, including location data, and shared it with third party marketing companies. Researchers say that information is used to profile consumers and target ads. Experts say parents should monitor what apps their children use and adjust settings to avoid exploiting children.