Sharenting — should you post pictures of your children on social media?

In today's digital age, social media has become a prevalent way for parents to share their children's milestones and adventures with friends, family and even a wider community. For separated parents, co-parenting in the digital world can be a delicate balancing act and they may not always agree on the approach to sharing their children’s images and information online.

What is sharenting?

Sharenting is when a parent or carer shares news, images, videos and other potentially sensitive information about their children online, usually on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Whilst many consider sharenting to be a way of storing memories, sharing events and achievements, and connecting with others, there can be negative consequences when information about a child is shared with a wider online community. The most serious of these consequences include privacy and safety concerns, with criminal, illegal or dangerous conduct being perpetrated against children who are posted online such as image exploitation or identity theft.

Top tips to consider when posting about your children on social media

Here are our top tips to consider when posting about your children on social media especially during or after a separation:

• Open communication and respecting each other’s opinions are vital. Maintain a dialogue with your co-parent about your respective boundaries, preferences, and concerns. Discuss what you are both comfortable with, such as which types of photos and captions can be posted and the frequency of posts. This set of ground rules could then be incorporated into a parenting agreement or plan.
• Avoid sharing personal information such as school names, home addresses, or sensitive details, such as medical information. Be mindful that what you post can have long-lasting effects on your children's digital footprint and privacy too. Deleting an image or video does not necessarily mean that it has been erased from the internet. It may still be viewable on an archive website or someone may have shared, saved or screenshotted it.
• Consider setting up private accounts or amending your privacy settings on current accounts for sharing your children's moments. This way, you can control who can view your posts, limiting the audience to close friends and family.
• As your child gets older, seek their views about posting their pictures or personal stories online. Explain to them the importance of internet privacy and digital safety. As they grow, encourage them to have a say in what is shared about their life and to who.
• Prepare for the possibility of negative comments or feedback on your posts if they are not limited to close friends and family. Also, bear in mind the possibility of a public post going viral and being viewed by a large audience. Consider how this may impact you and your child now and in the future.
• Social media is not the place to resolve disputes or conflicts with your co-parent. If disagreements arise, handle them privately or through alternative appropriate channels such as mediation or with legal assistance. Also, consider how negative posts about your co-parent could impact your child and your relationship with your co-parent.
• Keep in mind any potential or ongoing court proceedings. Social media posts may be viewed by professionals and can be used within court proceedings.
• If there are ongoing court proceeding concerning your child, be aware of the potential legal implications of your social media activity. Familiarise yourself with any court orders relating to posting images or information about your child on social media.
• It is also important to note that court proceedings concerning children are confidential, and information about the proceedings cannot be shared online without permission from the judge. If you are unsure what you can post or share on social media during court proceedings it essential to speak to your legal representative. 
• If you consider that social media posts are affecting your child’s welfare, emotional state, or having other detrimental effects on them, and you cannot agree a resolution with your co-parent, it may be possible to apply for an order preventing such posts. However, this could be a lengthy and costly process and legal advice should be sought before taking this step.

Navigating social media as separated parents can be challenging. Both parents should ideally agree on the extent to which they want to share their child’s life online, considering the above points and the child’s best interests. If an agreement cannot be reached then mediation or legal assistance may be necessary to resolve the issue.

If you have any concerns about your co-parent posting images of your child on social media please speak to one of our specialist family lawyers.