Editorial | Parents need to be aware of online risks

Guidance for parents who share images of their children on social media was issued by Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner last year in a bid to raise awareness of the potential risks. A common-sense list of dos and don’ts was provided, seeking to ensure parents go about telling their children’s life stories with sensitivity, caution and consent. The need for parents to be more aware of the possible impact of what might appear to be the harmless sharing of happy times was confirmed by a survey published last weekend. More than 80 per cent of parents who responded to the poll by the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong said they have posted information about their children on social media platforms. This is no surprise.

But they should note that 43.4 per cent of schoolchildren surveyed said they found the “sharenting” posts embarrassing, with more than 28 per cent hating them. Sixty-two per cent said they wanted to minimise their exposure.

Many parents document their children’s development in detail with images and personal information that is widely shared on digital platforms. One overseas study estimated that the average 13-year-old has already had 1,300 images of themselves posted on social media.

Parents need to know of the risk of the material being abused. It can lead to cyberbullying or even identity theft. More likely, as the Hong Kong survey showed, the posts will embarrass or even humiliate their children in the eyes of their friends and followers, especially as they grow older. Posting by parents can shatter the child’s own carefully crafted online image and the digital footprint left is not easy to remove.

Parents should, as the commissioner suggests, communicate with their children about the posts and seek consent. Care should also be taken with privacy settings to ensure only trusted friends and relatives can access the material. The social media stories about a child’s development, especially if receiving positive comments and likes, can help parents suffering from isolation or struggling with the challenges of bringing up children. More often, it is simply a source of pride and pleasure. But mums and dads must take into account their children’s feelings and be aware of the risks.