Sharenting: a common practice in paternity and maternity 2.0

What do we understand by sharenting? Use social networks to share information about our sons and daughters. It is a combination of two words Sharing and Parenting.

Sharenting has become a very common practice among parents on social networks. The practice refers to constantly sharing information and images of our children. Occasionally sharing an image or making a comment is not sharenting.

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What are the risks of sharenting?

First of all, we must be aware that this practice makes us create a digital footprint for our sons and daughters without their consent. When they are little they cannot decide on certain aspects of their life, including whether or not they want to go out on social networks.

Some fathers and mothers justify this practice with the idea that boys and girls like to take photos or videos. That is not the problem, these minors really do not know the repercussion that that image or that video can have, and they do not know the scope, nor the number of people who see them, since they do not understand what a network is Social.

That fingerprint and that network exposure creates lack of privacy. We do not share (or we should not share) everything that happens to us on social networks... Why is it different with children? Your right to privacy and intimacy must be respected.

Another risk associated with sharenting is the cyberbullying. our sons and daughters they can suffer harassment through social networks with information provided by their own parents. We may upload images or information that you find embarrassing and that can be used as a weapon by your peers.

Similarly, bullying can be caused by an adult who initially tries to gain the trust of our sons and daughters pretending to be someone her age, showing empathy, affection and support. This practice is known as grooming and the purpose is to obtain images or videos with sexual content of the minor.

We upload information to the networks, but we do not know who uses that information or what their true intentions are. It is very easy to lie on the Internet; Let's think about the number of minors who have profiles on social networks when the age allowed to open a profile is 13 years on most platforms.

On the Internet and especially on social networks there are groups of pedophiles that feed on this type of content that fathers and mothers provide. The content is often used for sexual purposes.

In the same way, we must reflect and see that on many occasions we are not only uploading an image, we are providing information about our son's birthday, her hobbies, in which team plays, where they train, who their friends are... This, together with the fact that the images contain geolocation data and we are indicating in real time where our son. all this information places our minors in a situation of great vulnerability.

Another risk our sons and daughters take by sharing their information is fraud. By having your data and a lot of information, our sons and daughters can become victims of fraud. And even that their images can be used for advertising purposes without consent.

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an upward trend

This practice has increased considerably in recent years.; According to a study carried out by the universities of San Francisco and Michigan, they indicate that 81% of babies have been exposed to social networks before the age of 6 months.

When you make that exposure with thousands of followers, things get much worse; In many cases, in exchange for this exposure, an economic return is obtained.

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The psychological impact of betrayal trauma

These minors, when they reach adolescence, can ask themselves why their life has been exposed on networks, as well as ask their parents for explanations. Psychologist Miguel Hernández, specialized in trauma, calls this betrayal trauma.

What is betrayal trauma? It is that the people we have trusted until now betray us. When boys and girls reach maturity, and realize that they have been used, they can start a fight with their fathers and mothers, but above all with themselves.

This phenomenon is not new, it has been happening for years in the film and television industry with the so-called "child prodigies".

To do?

Currently, there is no legal regulation as defined in social networks as there may be in television and cinema regarding the image of minors.

We do not consider that anyone, any father or mother, carries out this practice to deliberately harm their children; but nevertheless, the effects of sharenting exist and take their toll on our minors. Therefore, we must be aware of this, since we are responsible for the physical and psychological safety of our sons and daughters.