Naturally parents who are proud of their children may want to share moments that are important to them with others online, and in particular on social media or in family group chats. However, there are a number of important considerations for parents when sharing information about their child online. Once information has been shared online it is there forever, and can impact on a child’s right to privacy and digital footprint. Developments in AI technologies also raise further concerns around misuse of images or videos.·

A recent survey of more than 1,000 parents in both Ireland and France conducted by the Data Protection Commission explored parents attitudes to ‘’sharenting’’ which is a combination of the words ‘parenting’ and ‘sharing’ and is used to describe the practice of parents regularly sharing information, photos and videos about their children on social media and other online platforms.

The survey found 3 out 4 of parents have shared content relating to their children online in the past year. 40% of parents never or rarely seek their children’s consent before sharing content. In Ireland, 66% of parents identified the risk of their children’s image being misused by strangers and 55% are concerned about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfakes in relation to this imagery.

Sharing photos or videos online can never be 100% safe. Once something is posted online we have very little control where it goes. Content can be screenshotted, shared, and even manipulated by AI without our knowledge. This presents many safety concerns and challenges when it comes to sharing any content relating to children online. It’s always going to be a matter of balancing the risks and what parents perceive as the benefits.

AI developments and misuse of images

Be aware of the risks of misuse of images online. Developments in AI technologies bring growing concern for how AI can also be misused to create and share child sexual abuse material (CSAM), referred to as AI-CSAM.

Location sharing and safety

Many photos and images can reveal valuable personal information that we may not want shared widely such as location, school and time. Posting images with this type of information regularly can give an idea of where you live and places you frequently visit which can pose serious safety concerns for children.

Digital Footprint

Everything we post online creates a digital footprint and for young people maintaining a good online reputation is becoming increasingly important. Parents should consider any long-term risks of sharing photos of their child online. Some photographs have the potential to go viral. What may seem humorous in the present could potentially cause embarrassment or discomfort for teenagers as they grow older.

Identity Theft

As online scams become more frequent and convincing it is important to remember media being shared online could reveal details like birthdays, addresses, pet names, and so on – which later in life could increase the risk of identity fraud.

Review Privacy Setting and Social Media Accounts

Consider the audience you are sharing with (what are your privacy settings on your social media profiles, how well do you know the people you have added as friends or followers, etc.). In light of recent AI developments and concerns around generation of CSAM material, many parents may also be rethinking how they share and how much they share, a good first step is to start looking at what was shared in the past and perhaps deleting what they can and speaking to family and friends about this. On some platforms, you can request to have an image removed if you are unable to do so yourself.

It is a good idea to review and update privacy settings on social media or other apps. This can be done via the settings, many platforms give users more control over limiting who can see their posts. Consider using closed groups, or limiting sharing to ‘close friends’ for sharing family moments.

Disable location sharing

Many social platforms and apps allow you to share your location. Some people may not be aware this function is automatically enabled on some apps and networks. Consider reviewing this when sharing family photos.

Protect their privacy and wellbeing

Ask yourself will this photo cause my child embarrassment now or in the future? Photos and videos shared online of children may be used to cyberbully and can cause harm. It can be a good idea to check how much information is available about your child by doing an online search and request images, personal information to be removed if there is something you are concerned about.

Consent

It is also a good idea to introduce consent conversations around photos sharing with your child as soon as they are old enough. Ask them for permission before sharing photos with family, friends or followers and let them know where they will be shared. And with who. Have honest conversations with your friends and extended family about your sharing preferences. It is okay to ask friends and family not to post photos of your child. If other children are in the photo, it is essential to obtain consent from their parents before posting online.

Important: Parents should put their child’s protection before their need to share images, and refrain from posting them if necessary.