In the digital age, especially as graduation and summer vacation season kick off, parents sharing their children’s accomplishments and activities has become as common place as cicadas in the Midwest. It seems natural for parents to want to brag on their children, but some experts are warning against sharing too much information about their children on social media, which is referred to as “sharenting.” According to experts, 81 percent of children in Western countries have some sort of digital presence before they are two years old. Posting certain information about children may at first seem harmless, but experts are warning that it could put children at risk for identity theft and sexual abuse. “Sharenting comes with lots of gray areas regarding a child’s privacy, autonomy, protection and right to informed consent. Some countries have put regulations in place to ensure parents are sharing safely. But we don’t have many laws in the U.S. that protect children online. Everyone has to figure out for themselves when their social media use crosses a line,” warns psychologist Dr. Susan Albers.

Sharenting can also negatively impact a child’s mental health. “Sometimes, parents unknowingly create pressure on their kids by crafting an idealized image online of who their child is. That can lead to dips in self-esteem and self-worth,” says Albers. Dr. Marc Siegel shared similar concerns on a segment on Fox News. “Keep in mind that kids are already subject to ostracization, marginalization and feelings of loneliness and isolation because of how they are treated or bullied on social media,” he explained. “Multiple studies have shown that this leads to worsening anxiety, low self-esteem, depression and even suicidal thoughts in a majority of teen girls.” As kids enter their teenage years, they begin to experience discomfort with some of the information their parents share. One 2019 Microsoft study found that 42 percent of teenagers have a problem with their parents sharing images of them online.

Legislators are beginning to notice the possible ethical implications as Generation Alpha arises as the first generation to have their whole lives exposed on social media. Some countries are exploring the possibilities of the right to “digital oblivion,” where children can ask for their data to be completely erased once they reach a certain age. However, the ability to do that seems far off. Meanwhile, experts are offering some mindful practices parents can adopt to “sharent” responsibly. One thing a parent might want to consider is referring to a child by a nickname, avoiding references to specific grades or ages. They also recommend images of children being taken from a distance in order to make them less recognizable. The goal is to maintain the child’s privacy while still getting to celebrate him or her.