Central European sharenting awareness efforts

Authorities and organizations in Central Europe are raising awareness regarding ‘sharenting’, the practice of parents sharing extensive photos and personal information of their children on social media.

In the Czech Republic, police and child safety advocates have warned that sharing milestones, such as a child’s first day of school, can allow online predators to track children. Research indicates that 51% of parents share information that could allow a child to be located, and only 11% of parents always seek their child’s permission before posting.

In Poland, a joint campaign titled ‘Status: Udostępnione’ (Status: Shared) was launched by T-Mobile Polska, UNICEF Polska, and the Polish National Police Headquarters. Findings show that half of surveyed Polish parents have posted content featuring their children online within the last year. While often intended as digital family albums, experts warn these posts create a permanent digital footprint that can lead to cyberbullying or social embarrassment, noting that one in five children report feeling embarrassed by the content shared by their parents.