Social media experts warn of unintended consequences of 'sharenting'
The term "sharenting" may be new to some, but its meaning is self-explanatory.
It's a term used when parents post sensitive content about their young children online, often without consent, as the child may be too young to give it, or understand the full scope of what they're consenting to.
Social media marketing expert, Marc Botte, has heard of the term and says he's cautious of what he posts on the internet about his children.
"We're careful about the things we put online," said Botte, a social media marketing expert in Sydney, N.S.
Botte says he and his wife do share their child's moments online from time to time, but adds the content and audience is limited.
"Ultimately, we do put some funny photos and videos of our son on the internet," Botte said. “But we have our profiles locked down fairly well."
Caron Irwin works as a parenting coach in Toronto and has three children herself.
She says, in most cases, photos and videos are posted with the best intentions, but adds there is such thing as "oversharing."
She says some images could have unintended consequences for the child when they grow up, or as early as the teen and "tween" years.
"They're starting to figure out who they are in this world," Irwin said. “I do know that image or social media, or what they might see or what's portrayed of them, might impact their thoughts or feelings or ideas around who they are and their identity, and they might not appreciate that."
According to a study done in the United Kingdom, the average parent will post 1,500 pictures of their child online before the age of five.
The study also noted that almost a third of parents surveyed said they had never thought to seek a child’s permission before posting, with 55 per cent saying they weren't concerned about repercussions.
Experts in the study said consequences could include things like identity fraud in the future and unintentionally putting kids at risk to things like hacking, facial recognition tracking and pedophilia.
Irwin says if the child is old enough to understand and offer consent, the best bet is to ask them first.
"I think that helps get some buy-in from the kids," Irwin said. “It also helps model to our children that it's normal to ask for consent before you share something on social media."
Another study by Microsoft in 2019 found that more than 40 per cent of teens surveyed across 25 countries said they were troubled about how much their parents shared online.
"The tendency in this day and age is to share everything, to share every intimate moment with the world," Botte said. “That's kind of the culture that we live in, but I think moderation is important."
The bottom line, experts say, is that parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s digital footprint until they're old enough to use social media themselves.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.