Peer-reviewed article
Unanticipated Effects of Parental Social Media Use: Guidance for Clinicians.
Alina May Mitchell, Akeem N Marsh, Amy J L Baker, Marla R Brassard ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This article examines 'sharenting'—the practice of parents posting children's photos, videos, and personal information on social media. The paper identifies emerging concerns about permanent digital footprints, family relationship strain, and safety risks from this behaviour. It provides guidance for clinicians to discuss safe social media sharing practices with families and offers a decision-making tool for parents considering what to post online.
Key points
- Sharenting creates permanent digital footprints that may have long-term consequences for children
- Sharing children's information online can strain familial relationships
- Sharenting poses threats to children's safety
- No U.S. clinical or legal guidelines currently exist for parents on safe sharing practices
- Clinical visits with behavioural health providers and family physicians represent key intervention points
Limitations
This document provides conceptual guidance and identifies concerns but does not present empirical data on the prevalence or magnitude of harms from sharenting, nor does it evaluate the effectiveness of the recommended clinical interventions or decision-making tool.
Abstract
"Sharenting," the practice of parents posting photographs, videos, and information about their children on social media, has an ever-growing presence in modern society. However, researchers and the public are now recognizing the potential consequences of sharing, including creation of permanent digital footprints, strained familial relationships, and threats to children's safety. Despite this emerging evidence, no U.S. clinical or legal guidelines exist for parents on safe sharing. Visits with behavioral health providers and family physicians can serve as key points for intervention. This column aims to provide clinicians with a better understanding of sharenting and its potential effects on patients and families, guidance on discussing safe online sharing, and a tool for parents and other caregivers to use when deciding whether to post.