You can post about almost anything on social media, including books, food, clothing, and even children! In fact, many parents opt to post about their children on these online platforms.
It’s common for parents share stories, photos, and videos of their children on social media platforms as they take pride in their achievements and want to keep friends updated about their everyday experiences. Some parents, though, have turned this passion into oversharing.
Here’s a look at sharenting, what it is, and why you should avoid it.
What Is Sharenting?
Sharenting is the act of parents, caregivers, or relatives over-sharing content about children in their lives, including videos, images, and news, on the internet—typically on social media platforms.
The widespread adoption of social media has brought about a paradigm shift in our lives, reshaping how we communicate, share information, and build connections.
For instance, many parents use social media to share their kids' photos and videos as a way to connect with other parents and get actionable advice and support. Other parents use the platforms to update faraway family and friends about their children’s progress, saving time by sharing everything at once.
However, critics assert thatparents shouldn’t use children for content. They warn against posting children on social media platforms, as it creates an online identity for kids not old enough to consent or register on these platforms. It also exposes them to privacy and security risks.
Concerns Around Sharenting
The nature and extent of data that parents share about their children on social media platforms raises privacy and security concerns. Security analysts have even argued that today’s children are growing up in an era where privacy is diminishing.
It’s worth noting that some companies collect information on internet users, including the content they share on social media, and sell it to advertisers. The advertisers then use this data to target parents and their kids with personalized ads.
Many children wish their parents could ask for permission before publishing their photos; they want to feel heard, respected, and involved in family discussions. Sadly, there are numerous instances of parents excessively posting their kids' personal moments on social media platforms without consulting them.
Parents significantly influence their children’s online behavior, as kids tend to imitate what they see. This makes it essential for parents to lead by example and exhibit a thoughtful approach to online sharing.
It’s also crucial for parents to avoid solely sharing the positive aspects of their child, as this can create pressure for them to live up to an idealized version of themselves.
Reasons Parents Shouldn’t Overshare Their Kids' Information on Social Networks
Once you upload content of your child on social media, you lose control over its subsequent use. Even if deleted later, it may have been accessed or repurposed already, which poses risks.
Here are the potential dangers of posting too much content about your child on social media.
1. Cyberbullying and Social Pressure
Children who are frequently posted on social media platforms may face cyberbullying. Likewise, kids whose embarrassing photos are shared online may also face an increased likelihood of experiencing cyberbullying.
Preteens, in particular, tend to be very self-conscious about their appearance, and previously shared childhood photos can make them feel embarrassed and lower their self-esteem, affecting their social interaction.
2. Identity Theft
Many parents start sharing details about their children from a very early age. This increases their exposure to a type of identity theft known as digital kidnapping. This is one of theways that cybercriminals target children online.
In digital kidnapping, a stranger steals the photos of your child and starts posing as them or their parents. The impostor’s motivation could be to get likes and comments on the posts.
There are instances where a parent’s post might contain the kid’s full name, birth date, city, and state. Combine this information with the parent’s personal details, compromised Social Security number on the dark web, and breached data, and the stage is set for identity theft.
If a malicious actor steals your child’s identity, they could use it for fraudulent credit activities in the kid’s name. This could affect their credit score, making it difficult for them to get housing, access to loans, or even find jobs.
3. It’s Hard to Undo
Sometimes, you may realize that posting a photo or video of your child on social media was a mistake. It could be because it contains personal information or is embarrassing, prompting you to take it down.
Deleting a post doesn’t entirely erase it from the internet because it’s possible that someone, including your friends, family, or strangers, might have downloaded it within seconds of its upload. Plus, certain websites are dedicated to automatically saving and archiving public social media posts online.
How to Safely Share Details of Your Child on Social Media
It’s likely hard for some parents to stop using social media, considering it’s an integral part of many people’s lives. Here are some safety precautions to consider when sharing your kids' content on social media platforms.
1. Minimize Sharing
Don’t over-post about your child on social media and avoid sharing their sensitive information, including birth details, pet’s name, and favorite place to visit, as cybercriminals can exploit these details as security question answers for passwords down the line. You also shouldn’t share photos of your child at their lowest points.
2. Remove Metadata From Files
A photo’s metadata usually includes details like the time, data, and geotag. This means someone can determine your location byexamining your photo’s metadata.
To ensure photos taken with your phone don’t include metadata, turn off geotagging in your camera settings. It’s crucial to regularly check this setting, as software updates might reset it to automatically include metadata.
3. Enable Privacy Settings
When posting photos of your child on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, it’s advisable to opt for the strictest privacy settings available.
In addition, consider requesting your followers to avoid sharing or saving the photos without your permission. Also, teach your children aboutthe dangers of social mediaand countermeasures.
4. Consult Your Child
If your child is old enough to understand and consent to sharing their photos online, it’s crucial to seek their permission. Start consulting them from a tender age, preferably when they’re 5 or older.
Offer them a preview of what you’re about to post and seek their consent. You can also ask them to select their favorite photos, create captions, and choose a social media platform.
Should your kids ask you not to share specific pictures of them, honor that. This way, you allow them to control their online presence.
5. Trim Your Follower Count
Consider reducing the number of your followers to only family members and trusted friends, or switch to other easy-to-manage social apps and services. You can opt formedia-sharing platforms, like Flickrthat let you create invite-only albums.
6. Hide Names and Faces
A quick Google search of a name could reveal details like a potential victim’s email, home address, and social media accounts, exposing them to potentialsocial engineering attacksto trick them into disclosing more personal information.
To protect your child, consider using a fictitious name and never share their last name; alternatively, use initials instead of their real name.
When sharing photos of your children on social media, you can further protect their privacy by hiding their key features instead of showing the complete image. Many parents achieve this by blurring out their kids’ faces or placing emojis over them.
Prioritize Privacy and Security Over Social Media Sharing
In this digital era, it’s common for parents to take photos and videos of their children and share them on social media. This can put the children’s safety, privacy, social life, and self-image in danger.
Parents should consider the lasting effects of a widely shared digital presence on their children. Think through the content they want to share, its intended message, and the risk of it being misinterpreted or exploited. It’s also essential for parents to educate their kids about safe content sharing and internet safety best practices.
