This week marks ten years since I sat on a panel about sharenting – the practice of parents sharing content about their children online – at a blogging event. The panel was hosted by Monika Roozen, then known for her blog Mum on the Brink, and my talk back then focused on how the data and metadata shared by parents created digital footprints for their children that could follow them for life.
(Side note: If I were giving that talk today, I’d call it adigital tattoo instead, to better convey the idea of permanence of what’s shared online.)
A decade later, I found myself wondering: What does that generation of children – now in their teens or early adulthood – think about having their lives publicly documented before they were old enough to have a say?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many young people report resentment that personal or awkward content was shared about them without their consent. Some also mention tension or even conflict within the family, as youngsters show their disapproval for information being shared about them without their approval or even knowledge (given that sharenting sometimes happens in platforms that teens and young adults do not use themselves). Others express concerns about privacy, such as the risk of potential future partners or employers coming across embarrassing information.
That is not to say that there are no positive effects of sharenting. Indeed, some young people say that they are grateful for posts that celebrated their achievements, showed pride in their offspring and, generally, presented them in a positive light. Some also enjoy the insight provided into their early years. But even positive content can have a downside: some young people feel misrepresented. They feel that there is a mismatch between how they’ve been portrayed and how they see themselves. Moreover, what parents saw as significant achievements is not necessarily what these youngsters want to be known or recognized for. In turn, this raises questions issues around these young people’s ability to shape their own digital identity, given the abundance of content available about them as they enter their identity-forming or reputation-establishing years.
The Rise of Reverse Sharenting
Interestingly, we’re now seeing a new twist: reverse sharenting.
On platforms like TikTok, which are majorly used by youngsters, children are increasingly sharing content about their parents. They film their parents’ reactions to news, or capture funny family moments. Often, this content aims to be lighthearted, but parents may end up of feeling that their dignity (or, indeed, privacy) has been compromised.
So, ten years on, online sharenting continues to be a key feature in parent-child dynamics. But, as the first generation of “sharented” children finds its voice, the plates are turning and it is now time for parents to grapple with questions of consent, privacy and identity.
Were you a “sharented” child or sharenting parent? How do you feel about it now? I’d love to hear your experiences or reflections.
Ana Canhoto 