GATINEAU, Que. — The Privacy Commissioner of Canada says a review of websites and mobile apps has found that deceptive design patterns that make it difficult for people to protect their privacy are not only prevalent, but often worse among those geared toward children.

The conclusions are based on a sweep conducted earlier this year of more than 1,000 websites and mobile apps, by the commission, along with 25 privacy enforcement authorities from across Canada and around the world.