“Sharenting,” the practice of parents posting photographs, videos, and information about their children on social media, is increasingly a part of many families’ lives. It offers a great way to share family updates and children’s experiences and stay connected with friends and family. However, the potential consequences of sharing are also increasingly being recognized by researchers and the public.

Potential consequences include creating a permanent digital footprint, contributing to strained familial relationships, and causing potential threats to children’s safety, such as privacy violation, stalking, and image misuse (Mitchell et al., 2026). Mitchell and colleagues note that while “some harms are inadvertent (e.g., a video of a temper tantrum viewed by college admission committees years later), others are committed with more intention (e.g., ridiculing a child in order to attract a larger audience).”

Caregivers may not be aware that their children may view posts as embarrassing or shaming. A 2024 survey of teens found that more than half of parents had never asked them for permission to post content of them, and 25% of the teens wished their parents had asked for consent (Englander, 2024). A survey of young adults found that among those whose parents had posted content of them, 60% reported negative experiences associated with the posting (Baker et al., 2025).

Parents have also involved children in commercial opportunities as kid influencers (“kidfluencers”) with potential consequences for children (Belfort, 2024). In addition, research has identified the incidence of mistreatment of children in parents’ posts. One study identified 180 videos on TikTok shared by parents that showed emotionally harmful behaviors, such as mocking, threatening and provoking fights (Stormer et al., 2024). In more than half of the videos, the children were clearly distressed. Despite these potential concerns, there are no public health or legal guidelines for parents on safe sharing.

A new commentary in APA’s journal Psychiatric Services highlights potential impacts on children and families and offers some advice and suggestions for clinicians and for parents. Authors Alina May Mitchell, M.D., and colleagues suggest that behavioral health and family practitioners can serve as key points for intervention.

Recommendations for Parents

Families should give children as much autonomy as possible in decisions about sharing content, the authors suggest. They should ask children who are old enough whether they want something posted. If the child is too young to be asked, the authors suggest parents consider whether the child would likely object to the post when they’re 16. The authors also suggest parents recognize performance pressure dynamics and consider creating camera-free times, such as meals, bedtime, discipline moments, and emotional conversations.

As a practical tool for parents, Mitchell and colleagues suggest parents take a PAUSE to consider the following issues before posting. See table below.

         If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes,” consider not posting.