Will your post violate your child’s right to personal privacy?
One of the parental joys of social media is showing friends our kids’ growth, achievements, and activities. Faraway grandparents can keep up with what’s happening, and friends get a glimpse of your family life. What’s not to like? Well, nothing, except perhaps the effects that ill-advised sharing can have on our kids.
First, sharing photos of kids on a public account risks attracting criminals who might wish to track them down at school, soccer practice, or even a bus stop. So, the critical advice for “sharents” – parents who share photos and information regarding their children – is to do it only on private accounts.
But even friends-only shares can have adverse impacts on kids. Photos the kids consider embarrassing can make the rounds at school and become a source of bullying.
According to Leah Plunkett, author of Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online, the effects of parental sharing are particularly noticeable in girls, who may grow up believing that they will be judged mainly “on their physical appearance and ability to please an audience.” Researcher Kara Alaimo agrees, noting that too many girls of the social media age grow up believing they must always look photo-perfect. In her book, Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back, she calls for not abandoning social media sharing, but thinking more carefully before doing it. Here are the considerations she suggests:
- Can the information you post aid identity hackers by providing the answers to common security questions your kids might use someday? Think Nana’s nickname or their first pet.
- Will your post violate your child’s right to personal and medical privacy?
And Alaimo’s personal favorite:
- Will your post affect your child’s career later and put them into damage-control mode?
