New children’s book from CyLab privacy scholar helps young children understand why privacy matters

CyLab director Lorrie Cranor has spent decades helping people protect their personal data.

Now, the internationally recognized privacy expert is bringing those lessons to a brand-new audience: children ages 4 to 6.

Her new book Privacy, Please!, illustrated by Alena Karabach, offers families a gentle and engaging way to talk about personal boundaries, independence, and digital safety. Written with the voice of someone who knows both the science of privacy and the everyday realities of family life, the book encourages children to recognize and ask for privacy in ways that feel safe, healthy, and age-appropriate.

“I was preparing for a preschool privacy story time at our local library as part of our International Data Privacy Day celebration, and I couldn’t identify any books that introduced the concept of privacy to young children,” said Cranor. “So I decided to write one myself.”

Readers follow the narrator and their pets through relatable moments from childhood, such as finding a quiet spot to read, whispering a secret to a friend, choosing when to share a drawing, or asking for a little space. Through these experiences, young children learn that privacy isn’t just hiding or keeping secrets. It’s about having room to experience their thoughts, feelings, and special moments.

Children’s author and illustrator Chris Haughton praised the book as “a thoughtful introduction to the concept of privacy” that sparks meaningful conversations between kids and adults.

The idea for Privacy, Please! grew out of Cranor’s research and art project called Privacy Illustrated, which invited people ages 5 to 91 to draw what privacy meant to them.

“Many of the youngest participants drew doors, bedrooms, bathrooms, or favorite hiding places,” said Cranor. “It reminded us that children experience privacy as something tangible and comforting.

“The drawings also illustrated that children often view siblings as the biggest threat to their privacy.” 

These themes all show up on the pages of Cranor’s book, which she shared during the writing phase with parents and children at the library and with educators at the Carnegie Mellon University Children’s School for feedback.

“The teachers helped me understand privacy in the context of a preschool classroom,” said Cranor.

To help parents, teachers, and caregivers continue the privacy discussion, the book’s companion resources offer privacy activities and guidance on how privacy relates to personal space, body autonomy, and digital behavior. Families can explore how it feels when someone invades their space, what kinds of things people might want to keep private, and how to balance sharing with maintaining boundaries. Activities include a make-your-own door hanger project for kids who want to signal when they need a little time alone.

“Every child deserves to know that it’s okay to want privacy,” said Stacey Higginbotham, Policy Fellow at Consumer Reports. “Privacy, Please! gives them the words and confidence to ask for it.”

Cranor brings a unique blend of professional expertise and lived experience as a parent who raised three children through the social media era. Her academic work has helped shape real-world privacy practices, from influencing password recommendations to contributing to the California privacy choice icon. She co-directs the Privacy Engineering program at CMU, where she teaches students how to design usable privacy tools. She hopes this book helps families build healthier privacy habits early.

“Kids are already learning about privacy, whether we teach them or not,” she said. “We can help them understand that their boundaries matter and give them the vocabulary to talk about their privacy needs.”

Illustrator Karabach, a Belarusian designer now based in Tbilisi, Georgia, brings warmth and watercolor charm to the story. Her comforting imagery, from cozy blankets to quiet corners, invites children to see privacy not as isolation, but as a positive and nurturing part of life.

As children begin using more technology, Cranor believes early lessons about personal space provide a foundation for digital safety and respect online. The book website at privacypleasebook.com points parents to reliable resources from organizations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Center for Democracy & Technology, and Common Sense Media.

Privacy, Please! will be available for purchase in December 2025, in time for holiday gifting. Families, librarians, and educators interested in sparking early conversations about privacy can look forward to a book that helps young children feel confident saying, “Can I have some privacy, please!” and understanding why their privacy is important.