Sharenting involves parents posting photos, videos and information about their children’s lives on social media. Although it often stems from good intentions, it can lead to parents losing control over their children’s image. Once shared, the material may be copied and distributed without the parents’ knowledge.

The consequences of sharenting may be far more serious than parents realize. Published photos and recordings may be copied, distributed without consent or used by people with bad intentions—for example, to create fake profiles or ridicule a child. Information about the child’s name, school, interests or places they frequently visit may help strangers establish their identity and daily routines.

Some material may also be used for cyberbullying or blackmail, or altered with artificial intelligence tools. Another problem is that a photo parents find funny or innocent today may, years later, become a source of embarrassment for the child, expose them to ridicule from peers and affect their relationships with others. Deleting the original post does not guarantee that the material will disappear from the internet, as it may already have been saved or shared by other people.

The children’s own views are also important. According to the cited T-Mobile Polska report, as many as 92 percent of those surveyed would like to have a say in the content their parents publish about them. Meanwhile, only 34 percent of parents who share images of their children often or always ask for their consent.

How can you protect a child’s privacy? The police warn

Before publishing a photo, it is worth considering whether the child might one day resent us for sharing it. It is also important to remember a few rules:

  • ask the child for permission and respect their opinion;
  • do not publish photos showing the child in embarrassing situations;
  • do not share personal data or information about where the child is staying;
  • check your profile privacy settings;
  • remember that published material may be copied and distributed.

Protecting a child’s image is not only a matter of safety but also of respecting their privacy. Before sharing a photo, it is worth considering whether we really want it to remain online for many years.