Sharenting in a Digital World - Dadspotting
I’ve spoken about this topic of ‘Sharenting’ for several media outlets and on a few stages recently.
Here are some of the features that will help you kick start some of the conversations parents and families are having at home.
The Rise of "Sharenting" and Its Consequences: A Call for Digital Privacy Laws
In the age of social media, a new phenomenon has emerged: "sharenting," the practice of parents sharing extensive details about their children's lives online. As the first generation of social media babies reaches adulthood, concerns about privacy and consent are coming to the forefront.
The Impact of Oversharing
Many young adults are now grappling with the consequences of their parents' digital footprints. From embarrassing childhood photos to intimate details of their upbringing, these individuals find themselves navigating a world where their entire lives have been documented online without their consent. Cam Barrett, who was extensively documented by her mother, recalls, "I was in fourth grade, 9 years old, on September 9, 2009. My mom posted something like, 'Oh my God, baby girl's a woman today. She got her first period'".
Push for Legal Protection
Some of these young adults are now advocating for laws to protect children from parental oversharing. They argue that children should have the right to privacy and the ability to control their own digital presence as they grow older. As Mohit Rajhans, a digital expert and dad of three, emphasizes, "We have to remember that our kids are digital natives ... we’ve given them this extra backpack (a phone) that they carry and it’s loaded with tools" . Rajhans suggests that parents need to understand the media their children are consuming to effectively guide them.
Risks of Sharenting
The practice of sharenting can have serious implications:
Identity theft risks
Emotional distress from embarrassing content
Potential for online predators to gather information
Future employment or relationship complications
Balancing Act for Parents