Sharenting Responsibly

Image Courtesy: Tatiana Syrikova/ Pexels

We all know that nothing online is completely private. Yet, most of us parents love to ‘Sharent’ online about our child. Nothing makes us more proud than our kids! Well, that’s a great feeling, but how much info of your child should you share? What’s reasonable and what’s not? How safe is it for your child’s future? Here are some questions that you should ask yourself before posting your child’s information online.

Questions for parents before Sharenting
Why am I posting this online?
Whatever you are posting, a picture, a video or just the birth time of your child, its not your information. It’s unfair to use your parental rights and create an online presence for your child. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t post at all. All we’re saying is, just think. Will this content come back to harm my child in 10 years? Can someone misuse the picture or video?

Would I like the same information about me to go out online?
If not, can you justify this for your child? After all, your child too will grow up and get to be your present age at some point. What kind of image will it create for your child online?

What does posting this do to my child’s online privacy?
When you post online, its open to appreciation and criticism. Can this harm your child’s image in the future? And the security of the data about your child – Can someone steal your child’s identity? A parent’s social media can easily give out a child’s crucial info like name, age, dob and location.

Am I using my child’s info to earn money online?
If yes, make sure that you share the income from the same. It’s only fair to do so. Afterall, you don’t want them to sue you when they are older, do you?

Will this affect my child’s confidence in the future?
Your video of your little one making a mess in the house is cute now, but would he still like it to be online when he is a teenager? Further, what if your child becomes a renowned personality and then someone digs out this messy video and it goes around. Would he like it?

Whatever you post, be aware and be prepared for any consequences in the future. Happy ‘Sharenting’