With the arrival of social media into our lives For some time now, more and more people are joining the millions who have a profile on one of today's most popular social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter). Facebook is one of the largest due to the ease of interaction with friends and family and the ability to connect with anyone in the world. But do you know what a... oversharing and how it affects the protection of children's privacy?
Oversharing has to do with parents who They upload photos of their children some mothers overuse social media. They start by posting ultrasound photos, pictures of their children playing in the bath or at the park, or sharing intimate details about their health, tantrums, or school performance. But where do we draw the line? What's wrong with it?
The problem arises when parents develop a constant need to show off their children's lives.They almost compulsively seek comments and "likes" on the photos and videos they post. Many parents, eager to receive positive feedback on their children's photos, They don't realize that what they are doing is uploading photos and information of their children without their consent. And they don't think about the possible future consequences for themselves either. This is oversharing.
The need to show off and the phenomenon of sharenting
This current society so hooked on social media They feel a strong need to show familiar situations to the contacts they have on their profiles. They want to show what they do, where they go out, what they feel…and even reveal the most intimate situations that shouldn't be known by others. A family's privacy can be seriously compromised when someone doesn't know how to set boundaries.
When a mother or father post a picture of your child on the internetThey don't realize that the images can remain on the internet forever and be accessible to many people, something that could cause problems for children in the future. In addition to the photos, they are shared details about their character, school problems, fears, illnesses, or family conflictsbuilding a public image of the minor without the minor being able to decide.
This specific phenomenon, when parents excessively share information about their children, is often called sharenting (of shareto share, and parenting, upbringing) or oversharenting when that exposure is clearly excessive. It's not just about pretty picturesbut also data that can help locate the child, learn about their routines, their school, or even their emotional difficulties.
Parents who upload pictures of their children to the internet don't usually think about the negative consequences; their intention is share in a friendly way with your family and friends A nice picture of their children and the expectation of positive comments that make them feel good and supported in their parenting. However, from a psychological and data protection perspective, it is emphasized that These images and stories can have emotional, social, and legal effects in the medium and long term.Why expose yourself to problems when they can be avoided?
How parental example influences digital education
Many parents, inconsistently, tell their children (with good intentions) that Don't upload photos to the internet, make your profiles private, or don't share images via WhatsApp. with friends (because you can't trust anyone), when afterwards they themselves do exactly the opposite with photos and stories of their children.
Children learn by imitationIf parents are the first to engage in this oversharing practice, how can we expect children and teenagers to protect their privacy? Children see it as normal for everything to be shared and displayed, and they may reproduce this pattern when they start managing their own social media.
It is necessary that, in the same way that we want to raise awareness among boys and girls, Parents should also learn the negative aspects of uploading and sharing photos and information about their children on the internet.Sometimes it's as simple as using common sense and remembering that the internet is a public environment and that, if you don't take the appropriate security measures (and make your account private), anyone, with good or bad intentions, can access your posts and see the pictures you've uploaded of your children.
You also need to use a little empathy and put yourself in the child's shoes. If you have a teenager, are you sure you want to share a compromising image or embarrassing anecdote that might embarrass them or make them laugh at their peers? If you want to post a picture of them on your social media, first ask them if they want you to and respect their answer, even if it doesn't match your desire to share it.
Furthermore, if you upload a photo or video to the Internet, you should know that there are people with bad intentions who perform "morphing"This technique involves creating a montage of a photograph to turn it into a pornographic or sexualized image. That's why it's especially important. Do not post photos of your children naked, in underwear, or in intimate situations.The aim is to make it as difficult as possible for those who might use images of minors for criminal purposes.
Children's rights: privacy, image and consent
In the legal field, children and adolescents are holders of fundamental rights such as honor, privacy and one's own imageThese rights are inherent to the person, inalienable, non-transferable, and imprescriptible. This means that No one should violate them.not even with the excuse of being a proud father or mother.
Civil law protecting honor, personal and family privacy, and one's own image establishes that, in general, there will be no unlawful interference when the holder of the right has given their consent. However, in the case of minors, They do not always have sufficient maturity and understanding to issue a valid consent.
Therefore, when children are young, it is the legal representatives (usually the parents) who must to protect these rights and decide what is published and what is not. That power of decision, however, has a limit: it must always be exercised thinking about the best interests of the childnot in the needs for social validation or venting of adults.
As children grow and mature, it is essential that they participate in decisions about their digital image. Ask the minor for permission Before uploading a photograph or sharing a personal story, it's not only a sign of respect, but also a way to teach them about consent and limits in the online environment.
It's worth remembering that, even if platforms claim the content is "yours", when you publish it We grant these companies certain rights to use and process informationFurthermore, even if you delete a photograph, it may still be visible if others have saved it, shared it, or if it has been indexed on other sites. This digital footprint, especially when it involves minors, is very difficult to completely erase.
Emotional and social risks of oversharing in childhood
The risks of oversharing are not only technological or legal. There are also psychological and social consequences for children and teenagers whose lives have been continuously exposed on social media.
On the one hand, by publicizing the childhood of children we are imprinting their first fingerprintsThat digital identity may not correspond to how they see themselves or want to be seen in the future. Many minors may feel embarrassed by certain images or stories that their parents posted when they were little: videos of tantrums, toilet training problems, school difficulties, behavioral disorders, etc.
Studies on technology use in families indicate that a very high percentage of parents share potentially embarrassing, traceable, or directly inappropriate information about their children. This overexposure increases the risk that they will become targets of ridicule, bullying, or cyberbullying, or that their self-esteem and reputation will be damaged.
Furthermore, when they are constantly shared achievements, activities, or comparisons with other childrenThis can generate in children a feeling of pressure to maintain a certain image or of not living up to family or social expectations.
Finally, the mass publication of content about minors increases the risk that they may become targets of stalkers, pedophiles, or criminals seeking to exploit them. detailed information about their routines, tastes, or environments for illicit purposes, such as identity theft or fraud.
Tips and best practices to protect your children's privacy
It is very important that families take into account a series of measures to protect children's privacy and prevent parents from encountering problems in this area. This is not about demonizing social media, but rather about learn to use them responsibly and prioritizing the safety and well-being of minors.
- Put the profile of social networks in private. Configure your accounts so that only your close friends and family can see your pictures and posts. Regularly review your contact list and remove anyone you don't know well. Keep in mind that even with a private profile, screenshots can still be taken and images saved to any device, so it's still important to carefully select what you share.
- Email the image. Sending images via email is another relatively safe way to share photos with loved ones, because you choose exactly who receives them. If you post photos on Facebook or any other network and have many contacts, they will all see them (unless you carefully filter the audience). With email, you can select specific recipients and limit distribution.
- Talk to your partner before uploading a photo and to your son if he has decision-making power. It's important to talk to your partner before sharing a picture of your child, as they may not want you to, and you'll need to respect their decision. If your child is old enough and mature enough, ask for their permission as well, and explain who will see the photo and for what purpose.
- Do not share compromising photos or sensitive information. Images or data that are private, highly intimate, or that could be used to locate the child (address, school, places they frequent, daily routines) are best kept in your private sphere. Avoid details such as vehicle license plates, school uniforms with the child's name visible, or real-time geolocation.
In addition to these recommendations, it is advisable strengthen other aspects of digital security:
- Review the privacy policies of social media platforms that you use to understand what rights you give up when you upload content and how your data and that of your children can be used.
- Configure who can comment on or share your postslimiting interactions to trusted individuals and blocking suspicious accounts.
- Avoid posting in real time Where you are with your children. If you want to share a photo from a trip or event, do so once you have returned home.
- Always think before you publishAsk yourself if your child will like seeing that image or reading that comment in a few years and if it could provide useful information to people with bad intentions.
Remember that your children must be protected from the internet and everything it entails, and you are their greatest role model in achieving this and in helping them learn. good habits in social media managementNow that you know what oversharing is and how it affects children's privacy, it's easier to pause for a moment before uploading an image or telling an anecdote and consider whether it's worth exposing part of their private life.
Protecting your children's digital footprint, respecting their right to privacy, and teaching them to safeguard their own information are decisions that can make a big difference in their lives. emotional well, their security and their future opportunities, both online and offline.