The Dangers Of 'Sharenting'

We are quick to tell our children to think before they post photos and info on social media, but maybe it is time we turned the focus on ourselves, writes Sophie Baker. Oversharing info and pics of your children online – ‘sharenting’ – could be harmful to your children, both now and in the future

- Sophie Baker

IT’S BEEN DUBBED ‘SHARENTING’ – a form of parenting which has sprung from an ever-evolving digital world. They’re the parents who tweet, post photos and update their online circles about every aspect of their children’s lives, from their very first steps through to university graduations, marriages and everything in between.

No previous generation has grown up quite so much in the public eye as today’s kids. In fact, many young children are on Facebook even before they’re born as no more than a blurry ultrasound along with an announcement about the impending new arrival. If you’re a sharent who loves updating your friends and family about your children, parenting experts say you should stop to consider whether the things you’re posting about your child today could have implications for them in 10 or 15 years’ time.

What are the main dangers of sharenting?

Of course, there are some clear dangers with regard to posting photos in a public sphere, in terms of both paedophilia and revealing your child’s personal details, such as their full name, age and exact location. (Many photos are location tagged, and may show your house or revealing landmarks.) Recent research conducted in the US has shown that about 40% of parents think it’s okay to post photos of kids in their underwear, not just on their private Facebook timelines, but on Instagram and similar social-media platforms where these photos could be in the public domain. It’s easy to download and redistribute photos from social media, and parents need to be aware that their innocuous photos could be doing the rounds of far more sinister websites and groups.