The average parent shares almost 1,500 images of their child before their fifth birthday, and more than 80% of children will have an online presence by the age of two. A 2018 study by Barclays Bank forecasted that sharenting will account for two-thirds of identity fraud affecting young people by the decade’s end, producing 7.4 million incidents by 2030.
With Christmas coming up, and an expected surge in family Christmas snaps, cyber security experts at VPNOverview have outlined the seven greatest dangers when it comes to the growing phenomenon of sharing photos and videos of children, referred to as ‘sharenting’.
Sharenting is the regular posting of photos of children on social media. For some, It is seen as a modern-day scrapbook of memories for friends and family to enjoy. For first-time parents, sharenting can also be a great way to build a community, share parenting advice and connect with other families. However, the habitual use of these platforms, which often have minimal privacy protection, is worrying. Below are the main dangers associated with posting photos and videos of your children online:
