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Turning Childhood into Content - The Dangers of Sharenting

October 7, 2024

Countless photos and videos of children have been posted on the internet by their parents. Influencers share details of their children's lives with their followers on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube and Snapchat.

https://p.dw.com/p/4kJNF
Turning Childhood into Content - The Dangers of Sharenting
Image: Java

Sometimes, with terrible consequences.

Turning Childhood into Content - The Dangers of Sharenting
Image: Java

Many people make money from photos of their children. Children's content is among the most popular and sought-after online, which is why social media algorithms promote these posts. The effects can be disastrous. 

Turning Childhood into Content - The Dangers of Sharenting
Image: Java

"If you think that sharing your child's life on social media is harmless, I'm proof that you're wrong," says Cam, now 24 years old. She knows all too well the dark side of having a mother who posted pictures of her childhood online. As a child, strangers would come up to her in the street to ask about her period. She can no longer use her real name out of concern that people will do a Google search and see all the intimate moments of her childhood. 

Turning Childhood into Content - The Dangers of Sharenting
Image: Java

Today, Cam is publicly campaigning for "sharenting", a term that combines "sharing" and "parenting", to be regulated, and for the dangers to be explained more clearly. Child protection activists are even seeking to classify "sharenting" as child labor, because - so the accusation goes - these parents exploit their children to earn money. 

 

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