The Decline of Sharenting: Protecting Your Child's Privacy Online

The Decline of Sharenting: Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online As parents, we share our lives online with friends, family, and the world. But the term ‘sharenting’—the practice of sharing photos and personal details of our children on social media—has become a growing concern. The decline of sharenting is being driven by parents realising the potential risks involved. As social media dominates our lives, we must question how much of our children’s lives should be shared and what that means for their privacy and safety.

What Is Sharenting and Why Is It Becoming Problematic?

Sharenting refers to the act of parents regularly posting pictures, videos, and updates about their children online. For many, it’s a way to keep loved ones informed about their children’s milestones and growth. However, this practice has come under scrutiny as experts raise concerns about the risks it poses to a child’s digital privacy. The decline of sharenting is a shift happening as parents reconsider how much of their children’s lives should be shared online. Concerns about digital privacy and permanent digital footprints are driving this change. As digital footprints become more permanent, the question arises: Should children have a say in how much of their lives are shared online? The rise of online predators, identity theft, and the unintentional exposure of sensitive information means that parents need to reconsider their approach to sharenting. Learn more about privacy concerns at the National Cyber Security Centre.

Why Are Parents Moving Away from Sharenting?

The decline of sharenting is closely tied to the growing awareness of privacy issues. Many parents are realising that oversharing their children’s lives online may cause unintentional harm in the long run. From the possibility of identity theft to unwanted digital footprints, there are valid concerns that can’t be ignored. Childnet International provides valuable advice on protecting your child online. There’s also a shift in the way parents view their children’s rights. Privacy is no longer just an adult concern. Children deserve the right to control their own images and how they’re portrayed online, and many parents are choosing to respect this.

Protecting Your Child’s Digital Privacy

If you’re a parent considering the decline of sharenting, it’s essential to start being mindful of your child’s privacy. Here are a few ways to protect their digital footprint:

Ask Yourself: Does This Need to Be Shared? Think twice before posting a photo or video of your child. Does it contribute to your child’s well-being? If not, consider keeping it private.
Check Privacy Settings Ensure your social media accounts are set to private, and review who can see your posts. This will limit the audience who can view your child’s photos and updates.
Don’t Share Sensitive Information Avoid sharing too much personal information about your child’s health, location, or schooling. This could lead to unwanted attention or put them at risk.
Involve Your Child in the Decision As your child grows, start involving them in decisions about what’s shared online. Let them have a say in how their images and lives are portrayed on social media.

The Future of Sharenting

As more parents decide to move away from sharenting, it’s clear that the trend is shifting towards a greater focus on privacy. The decline of sharenting represents a larger movement toward protecting children’s rights in the digital age. By choosing to keep their children’s lives private, parents are making a statement about the importance of consent, safety, and respect for their children’s autonomy. To better understand children’s digital privacy, visit the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choices for Your Family

The decline of sharenting doesn’t mean that parents can’t share their lives with loved ones, but it does mean thinking more carefully about what we share. Protecting our children’s privacy and digital footprint should be a top priority. Start by making small changes today, and you can help your child grow up in an age where their privacy is respected and safeguarded.

A Balanced Approach

The conversation about screen time has moved on from “screens are bad” to “what are they doing on screens and what are they not doing because of screens?” Watching a nature documentary together is fundamentally different from scrolling TikTok alone for three hours. Video calling a grandparent is different from playing a violent game. Context matters more than minutes.

The questions worth asking are: is screen time replacing sleep? Is it replacing physical activity? Is it replacing face-to-face interaction? Is your child distressed when screens are removed? If the answer to all four is no, you’re probably doing fine. If any of those answers is yes, that’s the area to focus on — not the total number of hours.

For the full picture on UK screen time guidance, see our detailed UK Screen Time Guidance 2026 article. And for practical strategies that work without daily battles, our Boundary Toolkit includes specific scripts for screen time limits.

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