Thread by @LuizaJarovsky

If you have kids (or take care of kids), it is a bad idea to document their lives on social media. This behavior is called sharenting, and it can have negative consequences for the child.

An uncomfortable thread about children's #privacy:

(1/10)

Most adults don't realize they are sharing the child's pictures online to get the dopamine hit that comes with likes, comments & shares. There is no positive outcome for the child to be seen by the parent's online connections (or strangers).

(2/10)

businessinsider.com/what-happens-t…

There is also the problem of the lack of consent, as children are sometimes too small to understand what is going on, and even when they can understand and consent, they are frequently not consulted by the parent.

(3/10)

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/par…

It is also possible that a few years from now, the child will be very unhappy to discover that so many private moments were shared online by the parent, as happened here:

(4/10)

usatoday.com/story/news/nat…

We, the parents, are from a different generation, and what we find acceptable & cute, they might see as wrong & inexcusable. Whatever is uploaded online, even only “for friends,” has the potential to circulate forever, it takes only a screenshot or re-upload.

(5/10)

There are also serious privacy and security issues involved in sharing anything about a child or teenager online, including identity fraud, exposing the child to predators, and cyberbullying.

(6/10)

parents.com/parenting/bett…

Depending on the age of the child, there could emerge mental health and trust issues with a parent or caretaker who cannot respect the child’s boundaries and personal wishes.

(7/10)

Alternatives to #sharenting:

- if you want to connect with relatives and friends, why not send the picture or video privately?

- if you want to talk about parenthood online, why not do so without exposing the child?

(8/10)

Best solutions:

- why not enjoy being with the child without posting anything? They will love it.

- the world will remain the same if you do not post any child's pictures online. If you really need to post, post a selfie of yourself.

(9/10)

Thanks for reading!

I wrote an article about #sharenting in my #privacy newsletter, you can read it here:

theprivacywhisperer.com/p/your-childs-…

Subscribe to The Privacy Whisperer here:

theprivacywhisperer.com

(10/10)