When I first became a parent, social media was like a wonderful way to share the joys of my child’s life with family and friends. I posted everything: first steps, funny faces, even those messy moments that made us laugh. But over time, I started wondering if I was sharing too much? That is my journey into understanding the hidden dangers of sharenting and how it made me reconsider my online habits.
What is Sharenting?
As for those who may be hearing the term for the first time, sharenting means parents sharing their children’s lives over social media. Guilty as charged-there I was documenting my child’s every school play and vacation without knowing any better. What was once harmless, celebrating major life events and staying in touch with friends and family would later turn into a wake-up call when I realized the bigger picture.
The Dangers of Sharenting: My Epiphany
Invasion of Privacy
On a given day, a close friend had observed that the picture of my child in their school uniform appeared online. “I realized that, without my knowledge, I had been sharing identifiable information about my child’s life,” I said.
Will my child appreciate an invasion of his privacy?
Cybersecurity Threats
I was informed about how photos and personal details shared online can be abused. Watching a documentary opened my eyes to a whole different risk in terms of identity theft, which generally begins when seemingly harmless posts reveal too much information.
Bullying and Social Pressure
As I scrolled through my old posts, I noticed how some of the moments I had posted might embarrass my child in the future. Kids grow so fast that what is cute today could be teased about or bullied tomorrow.
Commercial Exploitation
As I never monetized my posts, I started noticing how some parents use their children’s lives as content to grow their social media presence. This raised ethical questions for me: Should a child’s life be used as a brand?
Why I Changed My Habits
These were wake-up calls. I started thinking about how my child might feel when they are of an age to see what I have shared. Will he be proud, or will he be exposed? Talking to other parents and reading expert opinions made me understand the importance of respecting my child’s digital boundaries.
Tips I Follow Now
Seek Consent: Now that my child is old enough, I ask for their permission before posting anything about them.
Limit Identifiable Information: I have stopped sharing photos that include school logos, location tags, or other personal details.
Use Privacy Settings: I have updated my social media settings to restrict who can see my posts.
Think Twice: Before posting, I reflect to myself: Do I really have to? How may my child feel about this later in life?
Sharenting isn’t necessarily bad in itself but needs consciousness and responsibility. I learned to maintain the balance of sharing and protecting the privacy of my child. So, if you’re a parent just like me, let’s pause and reflect on how long the post would impact our kids’ lives. Let’s do it for the sake of our children, creating a better world for them to live in online.
