Sharenting – a practice followed by a large percentage of today’s parents, who may not even realize the dangers it poses to their children. It is very likely that they don’t even know what the term means. In this article, we’ll explain what sharenting is, and how it can be dangerous for children and their privacy.
The word "SHARENTING" is a portmanteau of two English terms: "sharing"
and "parenting." Together, the word describes the practice of parents sharing photos,
videos, or other content featuring their children on social media. These photos or videos come
from various events, celebrations, and vacations, and the children are often shown in the nude or in other humorous
situations. At first glance, this seems like a sweet way to show off one’s children. However, from another
perspective, this data can be misused and ultimately cause significant problems.
Virtually anyone on the internet has access to such data, and current technologies
allow this data to be used to create pornographic images, be misused to create
deepfake videos (you can read about what a deepfake is here), or to influence a child’s future, or
steal their identity.
In what ways can children’s data be misused?
1. Privacy Protection
The first step, which is the most common issue, is protecting children’s privacy. Often,
images or data of children are carelessly posted online, which can be misused. However,
this is not just a problem for adults but also for children who do not realize the risks
that may be associated with it. We will address online risks in the following
sections, but the risk can also be physical. Sharing one’s current location via various
social media platforms can pose a risk of abduction or physical assault. It is
important to educate children about the risks of sharing any personal information.
2. Conversion of images into pornographic/sexual images
One of the worst possible scenarios is the conversion of a child’s photos into pornographic
images. Artificial intelligence today enables this conversion process
and the possibilities are constantly growing. These images are then shared on the dark web or other
social networks and are often indistinguishable from real photos. All that is needed is
a sufficiently large database of photos. These situations result in psychological
problems for children or their parents. At the same time, it is very difficult to remove such content from the internet
, which can affect the child’s future.
3. Identity theft
Identity theft refers to the theft of personal data shared on
the internet (whether by parents or children) and its subsequent misuse to create new
online accounts or for other fraudulent activities. In the long term, this can lead to
significant financial problems, as modern technologies allow people to take out loans
online, manage their finances, and access various other options. Children are particularly
vulnerable in this regard, as they often do not behave as cautiously online.
4. Online bullying
This problem has existed in society for almost as long as the
internet itself. In this regard, the main issue is the sharing of photos, which can be
a tool for such bullying, also known as cyberbullying. This type of bullying has
very serious consequences for a person’s mental well-being; it can lead to depressive
states or even suicide.
5. Deepfake technologies
You can read about deepfake videos and the threats associated with them in our
previous article. In the context of children and their photos or videos,
deepfake technology can easily alter a photo or video into a completely different form.
The situation they are in, the words they speak, and the actions they take are changed, but
the person’s face and voice are used. A deepfake (video or photo) prepared in this way is
then shared on the internet and presents the person in a situation they have never
been in. Whether in a mocking, vulgar, or revealing manner, or committing some
crime or otherwise harming the environment or people. The current possibilities are constantly
expanding. This can have psychological, financial, or social consequences for the person,
as these technologies are so sophisticated that it is difficult to distinguish a deepfake from
reality.
6. Digital Footprint
The final risk we’ll mention today is the creation of a so-called digital
footprint. A digital footprint is a collection of data and information we leave behind on the internet.
This includes not only the data we share ourselves, but also where we leave
comments, which websites we visit, or which games we play. This footprint is impossible to erase
or control. Virtually anyone has access to it—family, future employers,
schools, but also someone intent on harming us. All this data can be misused in
the ways mentioned above.
A large number of parents do not realize what posting a simple photo on
the internet can lead to, nor how much harm a single photo can cause. We therefore present some statistics regarding
sharing photos on social media. Based on the results of studies in England, it was found,
that the average child under 5 has up to 1,500 photos on social media. Further research
in Poland revealed that of all the photos parents post on social media, up to 75%
are photos of children under 8. At the same time, just under 8% of parents have set up
privacy settings. Just under 68% stated that they had shared a photo they considered inappropriate, and as many as
78% had shared a photo in which the child was naked or partially naked. It is precisely this type of photo that is
risky in terms of creating pornographic content.
Modern technologies have brought us great progress in recent years, but with it also come
risks. It is precisely in the area of personal data protection—whether your own or your children’s—that it is essential to exercise
caution. That is why we are providing you with some advice to follow when
posting photos or videos of children on social media:
- refrain from posting photos and videos that reveal a child’s personal information (name, address, date of birth, etc.)
- inform other family members of this as well, and at the same time, find out how the school your child attends handles the posting of photos
- do not use hashtags such as #nahedieta, #kupanie, and similar ones; this way, various pedophiles or other deviants can access the photos and misuse them, especially if you do not have privacy settings enabled on your profile. Check your privacy settings every time you post photos
- . Try to choose photos that are not too detailed or that were taken from a greater distance
- For every photo, consider the potential consequences: will it cause the child to be bullied or mocked? Is the child in a compromising situation? Is the child naked?
Sources:
https://www.nominet.uk/parents-oversharing-family-photos-online-lack-basic-privacy-know/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299601525_When_the_Child_is_Born_into_the_Int
ernet_Sharenting_as_a_Growing_Trend_among_Parents_on_Facebook
