05/20/2024

Think Twice Before Posting that 'Cute' Photo of Your Kid Online

It makes kids vulnerable to identity theft and harassment

Many parents share photos and videos of children on social media: birth announcements, making (an adorable) mess at the dinner table, milestones like a first step.

But there are potential dangers to constantly posting about your child online, said Leah Plunkett, a faculty member at Harvard Law School who specializes in children, family law and technology. In Plunkett's 2019 book Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online, she explains how adults can put children's privacy and personal data at risk.

This phenomenon is called "sharenting," said Plunkett. Legal scholars in her field use the term — a portmanteau of "sharing" and "parenting" — to describe "all the ways that parents, aunts, uncles, teachers, coaches and other trusted adults in a kiddo's life transmit children's private information digitally." It can make kids vulnerable to identity theft and harassment. And as they grow older, it may undercut their ability to tell their own story.

Please select this link to read the complete article from NPR.