Children at risk of identity theft and fraud from 'sharenting'

Children today face new risks because of a trend called 'sharenting,' where parents share photos and videos of their kids on social media. While many parents want to celebrate their children's special moments online, experts warn that this habit can lead to serious problems. According to research from the University of Southampton, posting images and information about children online can make them targets for cyberbullying, harassment, and even identity theft as they grow older.

The researchers surveyed over 1,000 parents in the UK and found that 45 percent regularly post pictures of their children online. Alarmingly, one in six parents said their child had already experienced some kind of harm related to these posts. The problem is that photos and videos often reveal personal details, such as birthdays, addresses, and pet names. These details can be used by criminals to steal a child's identity in the future. Lead researcher Pamela Ugwudike explained that parents may not realize the risks they are creating by sharing so much about their children online.

Another issue is that many parents, caregivers, and even schools do not fully understand how privacy settings work on social media. The study found that people often overestimate how much protection these settings provide. Features like tagging and resharing can allow content to spread far beyond the intended audience, even from private accounts. Rani Govender, a child safety policy manager, said that sharing photos or videos widely can put children's safety, privacy, and wellbeing at risk.

The dangers have grown with advances in technology. The Internet Watch Foundation warns that criminals can now use artificial intelligence to create fake, sexualized images of children using just a few normal photos. These AI-generated images can be so realistic that they are hard to tell apart from real ones. This poses new threats, such as sexual extortion, where children could be blackmailed with these images.

Sharenting has sparked debate about privacy and safety. Some people believe it is an invasion of a child's privacy, while others see it as a way to connect with friends and family. Famous cases, like Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter objecting to her photo being posted, have brought more attention to the issue. Experts urge parents to think carefully before sharing anything about their children online and to learn how privacy settings work. They also recommend talking to children about online safety and working with schools and other caregivers to protect kids from harm.