Researchers warn 'sharenting' can increase risk of identity theft, fraud and online harms for children
Study of more than 1,000 UK parents finds nearly half post photos of their children online and one-in-six reported their child had experienced harms
New research by academics at the University of Southampton says commonplace parental sharing of children’s photos on social media — often called “sharenting” — can increase the risk that children later become victims of identity theft, fraud, harassment and cyber-bullying.
The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 parents in the United Kingdom and conducted follow-up interviews to explore how and why parents share images of their children online and what harms may follow. They found that 45% of parents actively put photos of their children online, and about one in six reported their child had experienced harms linked to those images.
The study said sharenting — documenting a child's special moments on social media — has become commonplace but may carry unexpected dangers when content is shared widely and persists online. Researchers highlighted that images and videos posted by parents can be used by bad actors to impersonate children, create fraudulent profiles or otherwise facilitate identity-related crimes later in life.
“These findings highlight the serious risks which children can face when photos and videos of them are shared widely on social media,” Rani Govender, NSPCC child safety online policy manager, said in comments to the BBC. “Sharing photos or videos of children at scale across the online world can put their safety, privacy and wellbeing at risk,” she added.
The research did not quantify the proportion of identity-fraud cases directly attributable to sharenting, but the authors reported qualitative evidence from interviews with parents whose children had experienced online harassment or reputational harm after images were shared. The study also explored parents’ motivations for posting, including wanting to share milestones with family and friends, and the trade-offs between connection and privacy.
Child-safety organisations and academics have increasingly urged parents to consider the long-term implications of posting children’s images on public or loosely controlled platforms. The University of Southampton paper contributes to a growing body of work suggesting that once content is shared online it may be difficult to fully remove, and that cumulative personal information can be exploited in ways parents do not anticipate.
The researchers said their findings point to a need for greater awareness among parents about potential risks, and for clearer guidance on safe sharing practices. The study’s authors also called for further research into how posted content can be misused and which measures most effectively reduce harm.
As social media use remains widespread, experts say ensuring children’s privacy and guarding against future identity-related risks will require both parental caution and broader public discussion about digital permanence and data misuse.