Sharenting refers to the act of parents habitually using social media to share content about their children. This practice involves posting photos, anecdotes, and developmental milestones, creating a digital footprint for the child from a young age.
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Sharenting is a portmanteau of 'sharing' and 'parenting,' describing the act of parents regularly documenting and publicizing their children's lives online. This includes sharing images, videos, personal stories, and developmental updates on social media platforms, blogs, and other digital forums. The practice creates a detailed, often public, digital identity for a child, frequently before they are old enough to consent.
Key Components
- Parental Sharing: The act is initiated by a parent or legal guardian who posts content featuring their child.
- Digital Footprint Creation: The shared content contributes to a permanent or semi-permanent online record of the child's life.
- Public or Semi-Public Audience: The information is disseminated across a network that can range from a private group of followers to the general public.
Historical Context or Origin: The term was first popularized in the early 2010s as social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram became central to daily life and family documentation.
Why Sharenting Matters
Sharenting matters because it raises significant concerns about a child's privacy, security, and future autonomy. The digital footprint created can expose children to risks such as digital kidnapping (identity theft), cyberbullying, and data mining, while also shaping their online reputation without their consent. As this digital identity can be permanent, it may impact their personal and professional lives in the future, creating a record they did not agree to.
Platforms like Kinnect help families manage this by providing a private, secure space to share memories and information, ensuring that a child's digital story is controlled and protected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the main risks of sharenting?
A: The primary risks include identity theft, exposure to online predators, cyberbullying, data exploitation by tech companies, and creating a digital footprint that the child may not consent to later in life.
Q: Is sharenting illegal?
A: Sharenting is generally not illegal, but it can intersect with privacy and data protection laws, such as GDPR or COPPA, depending on the nature of the information shared and the jurisdiction.
Q: How can I share photos of my kids safely?
A: To share safely, use private accounts, turn off location services, avoid sharing identifiable information like school names, and consider using secure family-sharing platforms instead of public social media.
