Should I post photos of my children online? Here's what new parents need to know ABOUT SHARENTING

Over 40 percent of UK parents put photos or videos of their children online.

- Claire Bessant

It's an indicator of how prevalent online sharing is, that last June a new word "sharenting", meaning when a parent shares news, images and videos of their children on social media, entered the Oxford English Dictionary.

Parents engage in sharenting for many reasons: because they're proud of their children and want to tell family and friends about their children's milestones and daily lives; to seek support from and offer advice to other parents; and to store memories. It can also be a source of income. Influencers may earn substantial amounts from brand partnerships when sharing their family lives online.

Decisions about whether, where, and how much to share pose a dilemma for many parents. New parents may find themselves confronted by an uncomfortable paradox: they know sharenting may have implications for their children's privacy, but find social media to be an important source of support and connection to other first-time parents.

Some parents feel they have no real choice. Increasingly they are encouraged into sharenting by third parties. This includes family, friends, schools, community, the media, and big brands.

More research is necessary to confirm how sharenting impacts children and their privacy. However, sharenting does pose some risks. Some parents have stopped sharenting after discovering their children's photos have become the target of predators.