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https://theconversation.com/if-social-media-for-kids-is-so-bad-should-we-be-allowed-to-post-kids-photos-online-271387>
"As Australia’s ban on under-16-year-olds having certain social media accounts
kicks in this week, debate on whether it’s a good idea or even legal rages on –
both at home and overseas.
Yet barely acknowledged in this debate is what happens when a child doesn’t
have an account, yet their entire childhood is still documented online. Should
this be permitted?
“Sharenting” – when parents share their children’s lives online – entered the
dictionary a few years ago. Awareness of potential risks has been increasing,
but many parents still routinely share pictures and videos of their children
online.
Sharenting is widespread and persistent. A review of practices over the past
ten years describes that parents commonly share details such as children’s
names, dates of birth, birthday parties, milestones (birthdays, school
achievements), health info and photos. This produces a “digital identity” of
the child long before they can consent.
And it’s not just parents. Dance schools, soccer clubs and various other
community groups, as well as family members and friends, commonly post about
children online. All contribute to what’s essentially a collective digital
album about the child. Even for children not yet old enough to have their own
account, their lives could be heavily documented online until they do.
This challenge moves us well beyond traditional approaches to safety messages
such as “don’t share your personal details online” or “don’t talk to
strangers”. It requires a deeper understanding of what exactly safety and
wellbeing for children on online platforms looks like."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
