A "sharent" is a parent who tends to post too many photos, anecdotes and details about their children on social media platforms as if it's their digital dossier. The term was coined by Steven Leckart in a 2012 piece on the Wall Street Journal.
A decade since he wrote about sharenting, more platforms have emerged where thousands of mothers and fathers deal with the dilemma of posting too much about their kids, especially when they get comments and feedback in real-time. It comes as Facebook whistleblower Frances Hauge warned parents via Today that the social media algorithms are designed to be addicting thus it's harmful to the users.
If you're a sharent, here are some tips to try to stop yourself from oversharing about your kids online.
1. Always practice a "Think Before You Post" mentality.
Stop to consider whatever you share online, especially if it's photos of your kids that have some details that may reveal vital information, such as their full name, birthday, their school or your house number. You might not believe it could happen to you but lurkers could use what's in these photos, especially when your profile is in public.
In Australia, where the first term back to school started this February, the police warned parents that they must not be too snap-happy on social media and carelessly post their children's first-day photos. They also need to check their privacy and location settings before hitting the share button.
"We have seen some offenders go to great lengths to gain access to children and in some instances," the police stated amid increasing cases of online child sex offenders, per 9 News.
2. Consider limiting your network.
Some social media platforms have improved their settings to allow users to restrict access to certain groups. This means that users can limit their posts for viewing among close friends or family members only even if they have thousands of followers.
Explore your platform's settings to check if this feature is available. Then start creating a group for a select number of people you trust so you will only share your kids' milestones and other family happenings with them.
3. Remember, your kids are not props.
Some parents find the allure in posting about their kids online because they get a lot of reactions from their followers. It makes them feel good to receive positive words from other people, including strangers. But Gabrielle Usatynski, a professional counselor, said that by doing this, parents make the mistake of turning their kids into "show ponies" to boost their public image and show their followers they have a picture-perfect life.
There are other parents who share photos and anecdotes of their struggles with raising kids, like showing the piles of children's laundry they have to attend to, or posting videos of brothers bickering or their children doing crazy stuff. According to Forbes, these digital footprints will remain online forever and could damage the future of the kids. Thus, parents need to be responsible and respectful of their children's privacy by being the first safeguards of their children's online presence.
Related Article : Australia Plans Strictest Online Privacy and Parental Consent Law for Minors on Social Media
