Sharenting
While parents may want to share their children’s milestones online, posting can raise privacy and safety concerns. People with a sexual interest in children can create sexually explicit “deepfakes,” which are photos and videos can be altered using artificial intelligence to be sexually explicit. For more information, visit Cybertip.ca/deepfakes.
What Parents Should Consider
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Don’t post nude or semi-nude images of your children.
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Set your profile to private to ensure only people you know are viewing images. Review your friends/contact list to make sure you DO know the people listed there in real life.
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Don’t post photos that show your regular routine or could make your child identifiable (e.g., photos in front of school or school uniform). Turn off geotagging which tells users where you are.
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We constantly remind youth that whatever they post online is permanent; everything has a digital footprint. The same sentiment applies to posting photos of children. Ask yourself, could your child be embarrassed, ashamed, or become anxious by this now or in the future? Ultimately, it’s not your photo; it’s your child’s and their privacy should be considered.
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Children will learn their own online behaviours from their parents. If you’re in the habit of oversharing on social media, chances are when your children join the online world they will be too. Be a good digital role model.
The tips and other information provided herein is intended as general information only, not as advice. Readers should assess all information in light of their own circumstances, the age and maturity level of the child they wish to protect and any other relevant factors.