Sharenting: the risks of sharing children's photos online

The practice of ‘sharenting’—a portmanteau of ‘sharing’ and ‘parenting’—describes the habit of parents and family members posting photos, videos, and personal information about their children on social media.

While often intended as a harmless way to share family moments with loved ones, these posts can inadvertently create a detailed digital profile for a child. Such information can reveal sensitive details, including school locations, home addresses, frequent destinations, and daily routines. Once uploaded, these images can be saved, copied, or shared by third parties, making them difficult to remove even if the original poster deletes them. This digital footprint can follow a child into adulthood, potentially impacting their future identity.