The Deliberate Sharenting Practices of UK Motherhood Influencers: A New Study Raises Concerns About Child Privacy
In the increasingly digital world, the phenomenon of "sharenting"—sharing images of one’s children on social media—has become a widespread practice, particularly among social media influencers. While many parents innocently share photos of their children’s milestones and everyday moments, the potential risks to children’s privacy and well-being have raised significant concerns. A new study published in the journal PLOS One sheds light on the sharenting habits of British motherhood influencers, revealing that their sharing of children’s images is often deliberate and driven by various motivations, including financial gain. The findings raise important questions about the ethics of sharenting and the need for stronger protections for children’s online privacy.
The study, conducted by Katherine Baxter of Liverpool Hope University and Barbara Czarnecka of London South Bank University, examined the Instagram posts of 10 British motherhood influencers, each boasting over 10,000 followers. Analyzing a staggering 5,253 posts made between August 2020 and July 2021, the researchers found that children were prominently featured in over 75% of the posts. This pervasive presence of children in the influencers’ online content suggests a conscious decision to incorporate them into their personal brand and online narratives. Furthermore, a significant portion (46.4%) of the child-centric posts included sponsorships and product advertisements, demonstrating how children’s images are often leveraged for financial benefit.
While concerns about sharenting often revolve around the potential for embarrassing or exploitative content, the study found that such posts were relatively rare among the influencers studied. Only 11.5% of the posts featuring children contained content deemed embarrassing, intimate, or revealing. This finding suggests that these particular influencers, at least, are exercising a degree of caution in terms of the types of images they share. However, the sheer volume of children’s images being shared online still raises broader questions about privacy and the long-term implications for the children involved.
A key aspect of the study involved comparing the number of "likes" received by posts featuring children versus those without. Interestingly, the researchers found no correlation between the presence of children and the level of engagement a post received. This suggests that the influencers’ decision to include children in their posts is not solely driven by a desire for greater engagement or popularity. Instead, it points to more complex motivations, potentially including a desire to cultivate a specific online persona, build a community around parenting, or simply document their family life.
Previous research has highlighted a phenomenon known as the "privacy paradox," where individuals express concerns about online privacy but their actions online often contradict these concerns. However, this study challenges the notion of a privacy paradox among motherhood influencers. The participating influencers expressed strong trust in the safety of Instagram and demonstrated a general indifference or willingness towards sharenting, suggesting that their decision to share their children’s images is a deliberate strategy rather than an unconscious oversight.
The study acknowledges its limitations, particularly the small sample size of 10 influencers. Larger, more representative studies are needed to confirm these findings and provide a more comprehensive understanding of sharenting practices among influencers. Nevertheless, this research provides valuable insights into the complex world of online parenting and raises important ethical considerations surrounding children’s privacy in the digital age. The researchers advocate for stronger legal protections for children online, including potential measures such as banning sharenting altogether or automatically blocking the sharing of children’s images on social media platforms. Such measures would represent a significant shift in how society addresses the challenges posed by sharenting and the need to balance parental freedom with the protection of children’s rights.
The findings of this study underscore the importance of ongoing dialogue and research regarding the ethical implications of sharenting. As social media continues to evolve and become increasingly integrated into our lives, it is crucial to develop strategies and guidelines to protect children’s privacy and ensure their well-being in the digital sphere. This research serves as a valuable contribution to this important conversation, highlighting the need for a more nuanced understanding of sharenting practices and their potential consequences for children. Further investigation is needed to explore the motivations behind sharenting, the long-term impacts on children, and the development of effective strategies to mitigate potential risks. The future of children’s online privacy depends on our collective willingness to engage with these complex issues and develop responsible solutions.