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

Ada Chung Lai-ling

Published: 9:30am, 25 Jan 2024

Why you can trust SCMP

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.

The impact of sharenting on our children’s prospects in both further education and career development cannot be underestimated. Photo: Shutterstock

Similarly, many foreign university admissions officers check out candidates’ social media profiles and other digital footprints when reviewing applications. The impact of sharenting on our children’s prospects in both further education and career development cannot be underestimated.

In recent years, the rise of sharenting has also led to legal battles within families. In 2016, an 18-year-old Austrian reportedly sued her parents for posting hundreds of pictures from her childhood on social media without her consent. In 2020, a grandmother in the Netherlands who refused to take down photos of her grandchildren that she had posted on social media without parental permission was found to have violated the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

These examples raise intriguing questions regarding the possible legal implications for sharenting influencers and parental bloggers in Hong Kong and globally, and how their children might eventually react to posts about them once they have grown up.

Given the popularity of parental social media stars and child influencers whose personal lives are often featured on monetised online platforms, Illinois last year became the first state in the United States to pass a law to ensure that influencers under the age of 16 are properly compensated for their work based on how often they appear online. The law came into effect on January 1.

To encourage parents to think twice before uploading social media posts about their children, Hong Kong’s Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has published a pamphlet titled “Sharenting Dos and Don’ts”. Photo: Shutterstock

Although there is the momentary excitement of sharing your children’s lives online, which may attract attention and “likes”, it is vital to bear in mind the privacy rights, dignity and feelings of your children. In the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong survey, over 40 per cent of the students polled felt “embarrassed” by their parents’ posts and 72.2 per cent of them would rather not have any such content shared on social media platforms.

These findings echo my concerns about the privacy risks relating to sharenting. In this digital age, parents should understand the privacy challenges faced by the younger generations and seek to foster a safe and trustworthy digital environment for them. After all, digital footprints are difficult to erase completely and our children’s well-being should always come first.

To encourage parents to think twice before uploading social media posts about their children, my office has published a pamphlet titled “Sharenting Dos and Don’ts”, which sets out helpful tips for parents. At the end of the day, all children, whatever the age, deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and care, and their privacy and best interests should be of paramount consideration for their parents.

To show respect for your children’s rights, seek their views before posting any material relating to them. Engaging children in discussions about sharenting not only promotes healthy parent-child communication but can also help children develop an understanding of the importance of safeguarding their personal data in the digital realm.

We live in an ever-evolving digital era in which novel and immersive sharing platforms are continually emerging. Parents have a responsibility to navigate this complex digital landscape with caution amid the expanding phenomenon of sharenting. Balancing the act of sharing content online and safeguarding our children’s digital privacy may seem challenging, but what is more laudable than embracing a parenting approach that allows for the joy of sharing while preserving our children’s privacy in a way that will not limit their future?

Do take a step back and think twice before sharenting.

Ada Chung Lai-ling is Hong Kong’s Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data