online safety

The Custodial Inversion: Who Has Legal Custody of Your Child’s Digital Self?

Visual diagram comparing parent physical custody versus platform digital custody control over child's online identity and data

You are the biological parent. The platform is the legal guardian of your child’s digital identity. Not metaphorically. Structurally. According to the contract you agreed to when you—or your child—created that account. You think you have custody because you’re the parent. You feed them, house them, make medical decisions, choose their school. Legal custody over The Custodial Inversion: Who Has Legal Custody of Your Child’s Digital Self?