Online "Sharenting": The Dangers of Posting Sensitive Information About Children on Social Media

Show Outline The term “sharenting,” which is a portmanteau of “sharing” and “parenting,” describes the growing habit of parents to share photos, videos, and other identifying information about their children on personal social media accounts.1 A recent European study reports that parents share online an average of about 300 photos and sensitive data concerning their children each year.2 The top 3 destinations for these photos are Facebook (54%), Instagram (16%), and Twitter (12%).2 The risks and consequences of sharenting are different in nature and often much more complex in their interpretation than imagined, as they also involve legal issues relating to the protection of the child’s image, confidentiality of the personal data, and digital security. Even if unintentional, this growing phenomenon can expose children to several serious risks, including sexual exploitation, future emotional distress, and digital kidnapping.1 Sharing images, videos, and any kind of content starring children means, in fact, building a child’s “digital dossier” without his/her consent or even him/her being aware of it.3 This article, prepared by the European Paediatric Association/Union of National European Paediatric Societies and Associations Social Pediatrics Working Group, briefly discusses the recent phenomenon of sharenting and its risks to children. The purpose is to draw pediatricians’ attention to the growing practice of parents and families publicizing sensitive content about their children on internet platforms and the serious risk that potential abusers may intrude on their privacy and exploit data made unwittingly available on the Web. Pediatricians can play a central role in alerting parents and families to the risks of this practice.