Don’t blame parents for ‘sharenting’ – help them understand the risks | Letters

2026-01-29 - 17:51

Dr Claire Bessant says we should not vilify parents who are under pressure from family and friends to share photographs of their children on social media – but Rachel Linthe says the harms are well known While it’s important to recognise that “sharenting” can impact children, should we really be blaming parents and telling them that their children are going to rebel (Brooklyn Beckham and Prince Harry are the canaries in the coalmine. The children of Instagram will be next, 25 January)? Many parents feel under immense pressure from family and friends to share their children’s photos. Academic research with parents shows that many struggle to reconcile their concerns about protecting their children’s privacy with their desire to make their family proud and to respond to family demands to share photos with them. There are increasing numbers of parents who are making money out of sharenting, but we also need to think carefully before we criticise these parents and consider why they may be doing so. Research again shows that pressure on parents to ensure their children do well, expectations that parents are physically present to support their children, and workplace environments that fail to support parents juggling home and work, are all key drivers for them becoming influencers. And where parents start earning money through sharenting, but subsequently express concerns about harming children’s privacy, it can be a struggle to get out of it. Continue reading...