Montreal, September 25, 2019 - According to a report made public today by Option consommateurs, the practice of sharenting-the posting by parents of images, videos and other information about their children on social networks-can lead to serious consequences.
Many parents share their children's latest exploits on social media. The phenomenon is so widespread that one study estimates that in Canada, some 84% of children aged 2 and under have a digital footprint.
This practice may seem harmless, but it exposes the children who are the subject of it to numerous risks, such as identity theft, violation of privacy and reputation, use of personal information for commercial purposes, and more. These risks are all the more worrying as they can materialize several years after publication.
Faced with these risks, Josiane Fréchette, an analyst at Option consommateurs, points out that :
"Social media privacy policies offer children little protection, and Canadian laws seem ill-suited to the realities of sharenting. Parents are therefore the key players who can mitigate the risks."
The research conducted by Option consommateurs is entitled Parenting in the digital age: the sharing of personal information on social networks and its impact on children's right to privacy and image.. This project was funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC); the opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the OPC.
About Option consommateurs
Option consommateurs is a not-for-profit association whose mission is to defend the rights and interests of consumers. It is closely involved in issues related to personal finance, business practices, financial services, protection of personal information, energy, health and agri-food.
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