“Sharenting”: How sharing on social media can affect children

Gone are the days when photos and videos that parents take of their children are only seen by family members. Sharing these photos on social media is a phenomenon that has even gained a name in English: sharenting , a term that combines the words share and parenting . However, despite being well-intentioned, the practice poses ethical, emotional and legal risks for children, who are not yet able to consent to their own exposure.

This is what a Brazilian study conducted by scholars from UniCesumar, in Paraná, published in the journal Bioética , points out. The authors conducted a review of the scientific literature, based on 73 articles published between 2016 and 2023, and drew a worrying panorama of the impacts of this early exposure on child development.

These impacts were organized into four axes: digital privacy and security; psychological and cultural implications; social and family dynamics; and societal and legal response. Privacy, according to the study, is under threat from birth. Sharing data such as date of birth and even medical conditions creates a digital identity that can last forever, even if parents change their minds and delete the content.

According to sociologist Lucas França Garcia, who supervised the study, interest in the topic arose from classroom discussions. “We decided to study, through a literature review, this phenomenon already known as sharenting and oversharenting . The idea is to raise awareness and contribute to the prevention and understanding of the issue in the national context,” Garcia told Agência Einstein .

Impacts on mental health

It is common for children and adolescents to report embarrassment and discomfort with posts made by their parents. “Feelings of frustration and shame, combined with the frequent perception of inability to change the situation in question, are extremely present among children and adolescents. Self-esteem is impacted by the publication of photos and events considered negative for these children, which can lead to bullying and embarrassment,” comments Sophia Ivantes Rodrigues, a psychology student and author of the study. “In addition, early exposure creates an online identity that does not always correspond to who the child really is or wants to be,” adds the advisor.

Psychologist Ana Lúcia Karasin, from the Einstein Mental Health Center at Einstein Hospital Israelita, also notes the complexity of the long-term emotional effects of sharenting on children. “Early digital exposure, even when well-intentioned, can directly interfere with the construction of identity, the sense of privacy and the perception of emotional security of children. When this exposure involves intimate content, the impacts tend to be even more significant, especially in adolescence,” she warns.

For psychologist Bianca Batista Dalmaso, also from Einstein, the study shows the contrast between the benefits perceived by parents – such as emotional support and validation – and the often invisible risks. “Excessive sharing of private life can have direct and indirect impacts on socio-emotional development. It can hinder the construction of a self-concept without the interference of the opinions or judgment of others,” says Dalmaso.

Family dynamics

Brazilian research shows that sharenting affects family dynamics broadly. Conflicts between parents and children and even between grandparents and parents – in what is known as grand-sharenting – become frequent. “The bond between parents and children faces several problems when faced with sharenting , such as intergenerational conflicts and emotional distancing. When requests for content removal are not met, trust between family members can be shaken,” Garcia points out. He also highlights that children’s attempts to educate their parents digitally are often met with resistance, as adults feel disempowered.

According to psychologist Ana Lúcia Karasin, sharenting can reveal more about the emotional needs of parents than about their children themselves. “In many cases, children’s exposure on social media serves as a way for adults to affirm themselves or to express affection, demonstrate parental competence or seek social validation,” she says.

Children with medical conditions or mental disorders are even more vulnerable. “The online identity of these children often revolves around their condition, which further compromises their autonomy in the future,” says Lucas Garcia.

How to avoid?

One tip for parents is to ask themselves about their real motivations before posting anything about their children. “Does this post respect my child’s individuality or does it reveal more about my own needs?” suggests Karasin. “It is essential to remember that posts on the internet remain. Thus, images and information shared today can be retrieved in different contexts, with lasting emotional and social consequences.”

Bianca Dalmaso suggests an exercise in empathy. “The golden tip for knowing whether sharing is excessive or not is to understand whether that post respects the child’s individuality. If that post were about me, would I feel comfortable or exposed? Often, the desire to show that one is a good parent goes beyond the limits of respect for the child,” she observes.

In legal terms, sharenting is still a challenge. There has been progress in some countries: in France, children can sue their parents for old posts; the European Union guarantees the “right to be forgotten”; in the United States, there is regulation on the use of children’s data by companies. In Brazil, although the Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA) offers guidelines, specific regulation is still lacking.

The Brazilian study highlights the urgency of public policies and educational actions that promote the conscious use of social networks by parents and caregivers. “Digital education is essential for a more promising path. The consent and collaboration of regulators, educators, pediatricians and other professionals are necessary. Awareness of the impacts of sharenting , combined with digital education, can reduce the practice and its harms”, concludes Garcia.

Source: Einstein Agency

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