The main sharenting risks are loss of your child’s privacy, misuse of their photos and data, and a digital footprint they never agreed to. Sharenting, a blend of "sharing" and "parenting," means posting about your children online, and most parents do it out of love. This guide explains the risks of posting children online, how to protect child privacy on social media and how to think about digital consent for children.
What is sharenting?
Sharenting covers posting photos, videos, stories or milestones about your child on social media, blogs or messaging groups. Sharing helps parents connect with family and find support, so the aim is not guilt but informed choices.
The main sharenting risks
1. A digital footprint your child did not choose
Photos and stories can stay online for years. A potty-training post may resurface when your child is a teenager or job applicant. Children may feel embarrassed or upset about what was shared, and some later say they wish they had been asked.
2. Privacy and identity risks
Details such as full name, birth date, school uniform, location tags and home address can help strangers identify and find a child. Birthdays and names are also useful to identity thieves.
3. Photo misuse
Public images can be copied, reposted or used on other sites without consent. There are documented cases of children’s photos being taken from social media and used in inappropriate or commercial ways, and AI tools can now alter or generate images from ordinary photos, which raises the stakes for public posting.
4. Location and routine exposure
Real-time posts, geotags and background details (school signs, street names) can reveal where a child is, and when.
5. Bullying and embarrassment
Photos shared today can be used by peers later. Images of tantrums, bath time or medical issues may be especially sensitive.
6. Commercial profiling
Platforms collect data from posts, and children can be tracked and profiled from an early age.
7. Impact on trust
As children grow, they may see unrequested sharing as a breach of trust, which affects their sense of control over their own image.
Digital consent for children
Young children cannot truly consent to an online presence, but you can build the habit of asking from an early age.
- Ask older children first: "Can I share this photo?" and accept a no.
- Explain simply who will see it and that other people may save or reshare it.
- Give a veto for embarrassing, private or bath-time images.
- Model respect for others’ photos too.
- Check back as they grow. A child’s comfort changes with age.
How to share more safely
- Check your privacy settings. Use private accounts or small close-friends lists instead of public posts.
- Think before you post. Ask: would I share this with a stranger? Would my child be happy to see it at 15?
- Avoid identifying details: full names, birth dates, school names, uniforms, house numbers and live locations.
- Turn off geotagging and delay posting trips until you have returned.
- Never post bathing, nudity or distress. Even innocent pictures can be misused.
- Use private sharing options: family photo albums, shared drives or messaging groups.
- Review old posts. Delete or restrict what you would not post today.
- Ask relatives and friends to follow your rules, including grandparents and childcare.
- Consider face-hiding approaches such as photos from behind or of hands and feet.
- Keep your child’s name out of usernames and hashtags.
If you run a public account or share professionally
Parent bloggers and family influencers face extra concerns, including commercial use of a child’s image and long-term privacy. Some jurisdictions are creating child-influencer protections, so it is worth checking local rules. Consider limiting content, protecting identifying details and setting aside earnings for children where they appear in income-generating content.
If something has been shared that you regret
- Delete the post and check whether it was shared or tagged elsewhere.
- Ask people who reposted it to delete it.
- Use platform reporting tools or search engine removal requests if images are misused.
- Talk to your child honestly if they are old enough.
For related family technology boundaries, see our guide to reducing screen time for kids and screen time and sleep in children.
The takeaway
You do not have to stop sharing, just share thoughtfully. Protect identifying details, use private audiences, and treat your child’s image as something that belongs to them.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice.