The dos and don'ts of sharenting: Protecting your child's privacy online

Living in the age of social media has made life a lot easier when it comes to treasuring memories.

From posting first birthday celebrations to latest snaps of your children on holiday, in the digital era you can keep friends, family and loved ones in the loop with just a few taps – plus, there’s no risk of misplacing photos stored in the cloud like physical prints.

Yet, due to the now-common cultural practice of sharing our lives online, these once-private moments become readily available for public consumption, which limits your control the audience viewing what you post.

A range of bloggers, influencers and creators have taken advantage of the desire for behind-the-scenes glimpses of ‘normal’ or ‘relatable’ life, and many families have also gained popularity on social media.

Some accounts based on videos parents and their children have more than 30 million followers and garner massive engagement, while popular family influencers can earn millions from their content.

However, famous or not, chronically oversharing your children (dubbed ‘sharenting’) comes with its risks, such as making your kids more vulnerable to identify theft and privacy problems.

Your child doesn’t need to be popular on TikTok or Instagram to be exposed to harm either. The average child has their image shared on social media 1,300 times before the age of 13, so it’s on us as adults to be mindful of minors’ privacy.

At the end of the day, the permanence of the internet means that not all unwanted content can be simply vanished later on. Even if you delete images and videos later on, digital footprints remain and are easily retrieved.

What may seem like a harmless snapshot can come back to haunt your child later in life (can you imagine your formative years being broadcast to everyone you know?) so it’s important to limit what you show the world.

However, if you take precautions, it’s still possible to enjoy the ease and freedom social media offers when it comes to creating and sharing memories.

Gareth Chadwick, Head of Marketing at My 1st Years, shares his top tips to safely share your little ones with family and friends online.

Limit confidential information

‘With the world of social media constantly evolving, sharenting can be dangerous if parents are not posting responsibly,’ says Gareth.

He advises ‘not to post anything which people could use to identify your child or their whereabouts.’

This includes school uniforms, bus routes, or even items you may not have noticed, such as textbooks or school notebooks scattered in the background.

Make social media accounts private

Each milestone in your child’s life is so important, and will contain memories you want to hold onto forever.

Sharing photos on social media to keep followers up to date is popular, but it’s best to keep your accounts private to prevent any unwarranted behaviour.

Not only that, but Gareth advises to ‘ensure that you add people you personally know, and have verified everyone who is viewing your posts.’

Never share photos of other people’s children without their parent’s consent

This goes without saying, but make sure you don’t post other children, as you don’t know what their parents think about sharing posts online.

If in doubt, make sure you ask, or try to avoid such situations in the first place.

‘It’s very possible to share images and videos of your family online safely,’ says Gareth.

‘If you’re concerned about who may be able to view the content, consider setting up a private Whatsapp chat or email group. Or, even go old school and send some printed pictures in the post.’

Avoid anything potentially damaging

Children of social media oversharers have claimed their parents publicised things they wish they hadn’t, like the mommy blogger who posted about her daughter’s first period. Although she may not have intended to humiliate and upset, that was the outcome.

Even lighthearted content can be problematic; this 12-year-old’s story of a friend who was mortified when her parents joked online that she was drinking, for example.

Before your child is old enough to offer consent, err on the side of caution. Steer clear of anything you wouldn’t share with a stranger IRL; no intimate details or embarrassing photos.

When they are able to vocalise their feelings, ask them before posting. This gives your child agency over how they’re presented and lets them know you value their wellbeing over social media clout.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Source: Read Full Article