Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi
Çocuk Eğitimi Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi
Parenting in the digital age brings new responsibilities and uncertainties that previous generations never had to face. Smartphones, social media platforms, and online sharing cultures make children’s lives visible from a very early age. Today, social media use has become a natural extension of parenting. The term sharenting, a combination of “sharing” and “parenting,” refers to parents posting their children’s photos, videos, or personal information on online platforms (Conti et al., 2024; Fox & Hoy, 2019; Gatto et al., 2024).
Although this behavior is usually driven by positive intentions—pride, joy, and the desire for support—it carries serious long-term risks for children’s digital safety and privacy. Research shows that the majority of parents (for example, 67.2% in one study) actively share content about their children (Kılıç et al., 2024). However, many of these parents have limited awareness of the legal framework and potential risks associated with sharenting (Conti et al., 2024; Gatto et al., 2024).
Parents share content about their children on social media for various reasons. One of the most common motivations is the need for social support. Especially during early parenthood, feelings of loneliness and isolation can be intense, and online communities help parents connect with others who may offer advice or empathy (Briazu et al., 2021; Fox & Hoy, 2019; Walrave et al., 2022). Parents may also share milestones to express pride or to document their child’s growth. For some, this becomes a form of deliberate impression management—creating an online image of being a “good parent” with a “happy and healthy child” (Fox & Hoy, 2019; Walrave et al., 2022).
Despite their well-intentioned nature, such posts can pose serious short- and long-term risks to children. One primary concern is that children, who are too young to understand the consequences, develop a digital identity without their consent, thereby violating their fundamental privacy rights. Even if online content is deleted, digital footprints are often permanent and can affect children’s future careers, relationships, and self-esteem (Briazu et al., 2021; Conti et al., 2024; Gatto et al., 2024; Walrave et al., 2022).
Posting identifiable information, such as a child’s full name, birthdate, address, or school, increases the risk of identity theft. One of the most alarming risks is that children’s photos may be stolen and used on child exploitation sites or within pedophile networks. Such misuse leaves children vulnerable to online sexual exploitation (Conti et al., 2024; Fox & Hoy, 2019; Gatto et al., 2024).
Additionally, sharing embarrassing content (e.g., tantrums, naked bath photos, medical details) can later expose children to cyberbullying or emotional harm. Once a post is shared online, parents lose control over how the image may be used or redistributed. This can also trigger “privacy turbulence” within families when relatives share photos without permission.
Mindful Sharenting: Sharing With Awareness
To minimize risks while still benefiting from the positive aspects of online sharing, parents can adopt a “Mindful Sharenting” approach. This strategy encourages thoughtful, informed sharing practices. First, Visual Control is essential. Parents should avoid posting recognizable photos and instead blur faces, use emojis, or share non-identifiable images such as hands or feet (Conti et al., 2024; UNICEF, 2024; Walrave et al., 2022). Second, Privacy Settings and Platform Choice matter greatly. Social media accounts should be private and accessible only to close contacts. Sensitive images should preferably be shared through closed platforms such as private WhatsApp groups or locked profiles (Ammari et al., 2015; Briazu et al., 2021; Conti et al., 2024; Walrave et al., 2022). Third, parents must strictly Avoid Sensitive Information—including full names, birthdates, school names, locations, or photos involving nudity or potentially embarrassing situations (Ammari et al., 2015; Briazu et al., 2021; Fox & Hoy, 2019; Gatto et al., 2024; UNICEF, 2024). Fourth, with older children (starting around ages 9–10), Consent and Participation should be at the center of sharing practices. Children should be asked whether they approve of posts about themselves (Conti et al., 2024; Kılıç et al., 2024; UNICEF, 2024; Walrave et al., 2022). Finally, families should establish Clear Household Rules, ensuring all relatives agree on what can be shared, where, and with whom (Ammari et al., 2015; Walrave et al., 2022).
Raising awareness among parents about sharenting risks is the responsibility not only of the family but of the whole society. Given that many parents are unaware of legal regulations and the risks associated with sharenting, professional guidance is vital. Pediatricians, nurses, and preventive health professionals should play a central role in raising parents' awareness of the risks of online sharing. During routine check-ups, parents' social media usage habits should be addressed, and guidance on digital literacy and responsible use should be provided to protect children's online privacy. Additionally, scientific associations need to provide rapid, effective responses, using both digital and printed materials, to educate parents. Educators and schools, on the other hand, should not forget that digital awareness and improved education are the most effective solutions for reducing risks and should prioritize safe internet-use education for children and families. Consequently, to protect children's privacy, a balance must be struck between families' natural desire to share their children's development and the risks that accompany it.
Let us not forget that protecting our children's rights in the digital age means gifting them a future they can control, as well as providing a safe environment.
Ammari, T., Kumar, P., Lampe, C., & Schoenebeck, S. (2015). Managing children’s online identities: How parents decide what to disclose about their children online. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings, 2015-April. https://doi.org/10.1145/2702123.2702325
Briazu, R. A., Floccia, C., & Hanoch, Y. (2021). Facebook sharenting in mothers of young children: The risks are worth it but only for some. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000051
Conti, M. G., Del Parco, F., Pulcinelli, F. M., Mancino, E., Petrarca, L., Nenna, R., Di Mattia, G., Matera, L., La Regina, D. P., Bonci, E., Caruso, C., & Midulla, F. (2024). Sharenting: characteristics and awareness of parents publishing sensitive content of their children on online platforms. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 50(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-024-01704-y
Fox, A. K., & Hoy, M. G. (2019). Smart Devices, Smart Decisions? Implications of Parents’ Sharenting for Children’s Online Privacy: An Investigation of Mothers. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 38(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915619858290
Gatto, A., Corsello, A., & Ferrara, P. (2024). Sharenting: hidden pitfalls of a new increasing trend– suggestions on an appropriate use of social media. In Italian Journal of Pediatrics (Vol. 50, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-024-01584-2
Kılıç, S., Orhan Kılıç, B., Gül Ateş, E., Çullas Ilarslan, N. E., Konuksever, D., & Ulukol, B. (2024). Exploring the Depths of Sharenting: Unveiling the Impact of Sociodemographic Factors and Internet Addiction. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 38(5), 643–650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2024.05.011
UNICEF. (2024). Paylaşan ana-babalık (“sharenting”) hakkında bilmeniz gerekenler. https://www.unicef.org/turkiye/hikayeler/paylaşan-ana-babalık-sharenting-hakkında-bilmeniz-gerekenler
Walrave, M., Verswijvel, K., Ouvrein, G., Staes, L., Hallam, L., & Hardies, K. (2022). The Limits of Sharenting: Exploring Parents’ and Adolescents’ Sharenting Boundaries Through the Lens of Communication Privacy Management Theory. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.803393