Opinion | Harmless fun? Think twice before sharing your children’s lives online

Beyond privacy concerns and the danger of identity theft, parents risk creating a digital footprint that can disadvantage their children’s prospects in higher education and even careers

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It is worth considering how “sharenting” may shape our children’s digital identity and intrude upon their privacy. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 9:30am, 25 Jan 2024

In an increasingly interconnected world, what happens when parenting goes online? The phenomenon of “sharenting” (a portmanteau of “sharing” and “parenting”) is not new, but its growing popularity amid the rise of social media platforms is increasingly raising privacy concerns.

A recent survey by the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong found that more than 80 per cent of Hong Kong parents had shared details of their children’s lives on social media, with almost 30 per cent having never asked for permission before doing so. Although over 70 per cent of the youngsters surveyed hoped their parents would stop sharenting and almost 30 per cent said they hated their lives being displayed online, the phenomenon shows no sign of abating.

Proudly sharing your children’s milestones and achievements online may seem fun and harmless, but as they come of age, it is worth considering how sharenting may shape their digital identity and intrude upon their privacy.

Parents may be unintentionally compromising their children’s interests and safety by divulging their personal data or identity information online. Unsurprisingly, a global bank estimated back in 2018 that sharenting could lead to 7.4 million cases of identity fraud worldwide each year by 2030.

Also, photographs or videos posted on social media platforms can and do end up on sites that share paedophilic or pornographic content. In 2015, regulators in Australia were already warning that up to half of the material shared on such websites could be traced back to innocent photos originally posted on social media or family blogs.

Oversharing children’s daily lives online may also have long-term consequences for their education, and even work, prospects. In a US survey conducted last year, 74 per cent of hiring managers admitted they used social media to screen candidates and 85 per cent who did so said they had rejected candidates based on information obtained online.

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.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Beyond privacy concerns and the danger of identity theft, parents risk creating a digital footprint that can disadvantage their children’s prospects in higher education and even careers

Beyond privacy concerns and the danger of identity theft, parents risk creating a digital footprint that can disadvantage their children’s prospects in higher education and even careers