Harmful sharenting in the UK: Protecting children from digital harm, long version

Pamela Ugwudike, Silke Roth, Anita Lavorgna, Stuart E Middleton, Natalie Djohari

Published: 01 Jan 2025, Last Modified: 07 Nov 2025University of SouthamptonEveryoneRevisionsCC BY-SA 4.0
Abstract: Sharenting - the sharing of children's personal information by parents on social media - has become a widespread practice. While often well-intentioned, it exposes children to digital harm. Examples include identity-related crimes, harassment, cyberbullying, contact from strangers, and privacy breaches. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and led by researchers at the University of Southampton, the ProTechThem interdisciplinary research project brings together social and computer science expertise to investigate whether and how sharenting leads to serious (cyber) crimes and harms against affected children. The project reveals that current regulations, platforms' safety provisions, and parental cybersecurity measures are insufficient to protect affected children from harm. This brief outlines victimisations experienced by children due to sharenting and proposes actionable policy recommendations for a safer digital future.