Risks in Children's Digital Visibility and Vulnerability: Sharenting in France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom

Rebeca Suárez-Álvarez; Ana Pastor-Rodríguez

doi:10.31637/epsir-2026-2101

Autores/as

Rebeca Suárez-Álvarez Universidad Rey Juan Carlos https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0102-4472
Ana Pastor-Rodríguez Universidad de Valladolid https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1787-7939

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2026-2101

Palabras clave:

social media, sharenting, vulnerability, influencer, parental self-presentation, risks, child, digital parenting

Resumen

Introduction: Sharenting has become a common practice in which parents publicly share aspects of their children's lives on social media platforms. This study explores how parent influencers manage their children's visibility, vulnerability, and privacy, as well as the underlying purposes of sharenting. Methodology: Through a comparative approach, the practices of 12 parent influencers—mothers and fathers—from France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom are examined. A total of 1,789 posts on Instagram and TikTok are analysed using content analysis. Results: Cultural differences are identified in the representation of parental roles: mothers take on a leading role, particularly in Italy, while French male influencers frequently depict involved fatherhood. A concerning trend is observed regarding the lack of safeguards to protect children's identities, increasing the risks associated with their digital exposure. Sharenting is not primarily commercial – the UK is the country where children are most used for promotional purposes – nor is it a space for parental support. Discussions: This study critically examines how mediated parenthood and child representation are negotiated in contemporary digital communication. Conclusions: Influencers, as parents, construct self-representations of themselves as caring and competent caregivers embedded within the logics of digital entertainment.

Descargas

Los datos de descargas todavía no están disponibles.

Biografía del autor/a

Rebeca Suárez-Álvarez, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Lecturer and Researcher at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Department of Journalism and Corporate Communication). She holds a PhD in Social Communication from CEU San Pablo University. She is as a Lecturer for the Bachelor's Degree in Journalism programme and Master's Degree Programmes in Communication (Data Journalism). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). In addition, Professor Suárez has completed two master's degrees: one in Communication of Public Institutions and Policies (UCM) and another in Radio (CEU San Pablo University). She has participated in diverse research projects, and is currently working as a researcher on the projects entitled 'Media repertoires and practices in adolescence and youth: uses, cyber-wellbeing and digital vulnerabilities in social networks' (PID2022-138281NB-C21) and Erasmus+ `SchoolFaN project (Schools against fake news for a cooler future)´ (2023-1-PT01-KA220-SCH-000160782). She is a member of the research group focused on Communication, Society and Culture (GICOMSOC).

Ana Pastor-Rodríguez, Universidad de Valladolid

Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Valladolid for the PhD programme in Transdisciplinary Research in Education. She currently teaches in the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising in subjects related to advertising reception and advertising strategy in the media. She has previously worked in media agencies for clients such as Vodafone, Unilever and Pfizer, among others. Her areas of research are reception in social networks and advertising literacy in these social media. She is a member of the research group focused on Communication, Society and Culture (GICOMSOC).

Citas

Abidin, C. (2018). Internet celebrity: Understanding fame online. London: Emerald Publishing Limited. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/9781787560765

Alice, C. (2024). Suivre pour bien commencer 2024. https://www.woo.paris/blog/top-tiktokeurs-francais

Atwell, G. J., Kicova, E., Vagner, L., & Miklencicova, R. (2019). Parental engagement with social media platforms: Digital mothering, children’s online privacy, and the sense of disempowerment in the technology-integrated society. Journal of Research in Gender Studies, 9(2), 44-49. https://doi.org/10.22381/jrgs9220193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22381/JRGS9220193

Aydoğdu, F., Güngör, B. Ş., & Öz, T. A. (2023). Does sharing bring happiness? Understanding the sharenting phenomenon. Children and Youth Services Review, 154, 107122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107122

Azurmendi, A, Etayo, C., & Torrell, A. (2021). Sharenting and digital rights of children and teenagers. Profesional de la información, 30(4). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.jul.07 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.jul.07

Blum-Ross, A., & Livingstone, S. (2017). “Sharenting,” parent blogging, and the boundaries of the digital self. Popular Communication, 15(2), 110-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/15405702.2016.1223300 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15405702.2016.1223300

Briazu, R. A., Floccia, C., & Hanoch, Y. (2021) Facebook sharenting in mothers of young children: the risks are worth it but only for some. Technolog, Mind, and Behavior, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000051 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000051

Brosch, A. (2016). When the child is born into the internet: Sharenting as a growing trend among parents on Facebook. The New Educational Review, 43(1), 225-235. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2016.43.1.19 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2016.43.1.19

Bueno-Fernandes, A. C., & Campos-Pellanda, E. (2022). Gender stereotypes in TikTok and Instagram: a reverse engineering experiment for understanding the mechanisms of social network algorithms. Universitas-XXI, 37, 247-270. https://doi.org/10.17163/uni.n37.2022.10 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17163/uni.n37.2022.10

Campana, M., Van den Bossche, A., & Miller, B. (2020). #dadtribe: Performing sharenting labour to commercialise involved fatherhood. Journal of Macromarketing, 40(4), 475-491. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146720933334 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146720933334

Choudhary, P. K., & Nagaraja, H. N. (2017). Measuring agreement: models, methods, and applications. John Wiley & Sons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118553282

Davis, G. (2018). Should you post pics of your kids? Insights from our age of consent survey. McAfee. https://bit.ly/2U0Jemi

De Frutos-Torres, B., & Pastor-Rodríguez, A. (2021). Do we still trust social networks? A study on the valuation of networks and their publicity. In J. Sierra Sánchez and A. Barrientos Báez (Eds.), Cosmovisión de la comunicación en redes sociales en la era postdigital

(pp. 1141-1158). Mc Graw Hill.

Doğan Keskin, A., Kaytez, N., Damar, M., Elibol, F., & Aral, N. (2023). Sharenting syndrome: an appropriate use of social media? Healthcare, 11(10), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101359 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101359

Fernández, E., & Gutiérrez, M. R. (2024). Sharenting on Instagram: abuse of the presence of minors in advertising. Revista de comunicación, 23(1), 177-198. https://doi.org/10.26441/RC23.1-2024-3460 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26441/RC23.1-2024-3460

Forbes (2023). Best Content Creators. https://forbes.es/lista-forbes-best-influencers-2023/

García-Jiménez, A., Suárez-Álvarez, R., & Montes-Vozmediano, M. (2022). Vulnerable situations in adolescent youtubers’ videos. Gender and age differences. Mediterranean Journal of Communication, 13(1), 93-106. https://www.doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM20066 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM.20066

Garrido, F., Álvarez, A., González-Caballero, J. L., García, P., Couso, B., Irisio, I., Merino, M., Raffaeli, G., Sanmiguel, P., Arribas, C., Vaca-Roaia, A., & Cavallaro, G. (2023). Description of the exposure of the most-followed Spanish Instamoms’ children to social media. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032426 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032426

Gatto, A., Corsello, A., & Ferrara, P. (2024). Sharenting: hidden pitfalls of a new increasing trend–suggestions on an appropriate use of social media. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 50(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-024-01584-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-024-01584-2

Gonález-Cámara, M., & Sánchez Suricalday, A. (2024). Factores de riesgo y motivaciones del sharenting parental. Una revisión de alcance. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 9, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2024-1768 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2024-1768

Haley, K. (2020). Sharenting and the (potential) right to be forgotten. Indiana law journal, 95(3), pp. 1005-1020. https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol95/iss3/9

Hinojo-Lucena, F., Aznar-Díaz, I., Cáceres-Reche, M., Trujillo-Torres, J., & Romero-Rodríguez, J. (2020). Sharenting: Internet addiction, self-control and online photos of underage children. Comunicar, 64, 97-108. https://doi.org/10.3916/C64-2020-09 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3916/C64-2020-09

Hudders, L. (2025). Perils of Influencer Sharenting: Understanding the Risks and Implications. In M. Walrave, L. Hudders, I. Vanwesenbeeck and E. Beuckels (Eds.), Sharenting Practices, Consequences and Protective Measures (pp. 117-132). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74105-0_6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74105-0_6

Hyperauditor (2024). Descubre a los mejores influencers para tu marca. https://hypeauditor.com/es/discovery/

Jiménez-Iglesias, E., Elorriaga-Illera, A., Monge-Benito, S., & Olabarri-Fernández, E. (2022). Children’s exposure on Instagram: instamoms, brand presence and legal loophole. Mediterranean Journal of Communication, 13(1), 51-63. https://www.doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM.20767 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM.20767

Jorge, A., Marôpo, L., & Coelho, M. A. (2022). Mummy influencers and professional sharenting. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 25(1) 166-182. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/13675494211004593 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494211004593

Lee, Y. J. (2023). Language learning affordances of Instagram and TikTok. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 17(2), 408-423. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2022.2051517 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2022.2051517

Livingstone, S., & Third, A. (2017). Children and young people’s rights in the digital age: An emerging agenda. New media & society, 19(5), 657-670. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816686318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816686318

McTigue, M. (2021). Communication Ethics of “Sharenting”: A Content Analysis of Instagram Mom MesoInfluencers. Student Research. 37. https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/37

Meltwater (2024). State of Social Media 2024. https://www.meltwater.com/en/state-of-social-media

Metricool (2024). https://metricool.com/

Ouvrein, G., & Verswijvel, K. (2019). Sharenting: Parental adoration or public humiliation? A focus group study on adolescents' experiences with sharenting against the background of their own impression management. Children and Youth Services Review, 99, 319-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.011

Porfírio, F., & Jorge, A. (2022). Sharenting of Portuguese male and female celebrities on Instagram. Journalism and Media, 3(3), 521-537. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia3030036 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia3030036

Ryding, D., Boardman, R., & Konstantinou, R. (2023). Optimising the Effect of Influencer Marketing: Exploring Consumers’ Interaction with Different Influencer Types on Instagram. In C. L. Wang (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Interactive Marketing. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14961-0_28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14961-0_28

Social Shepherd (2024). Top 51 Influencers in the UK. https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/top-influencers-uk

Stephenson, S., Page, C. N., Wei, M., Kapadia, A., & Roesner, F. (2024). Sharenting on TikTok: Exploring Parental Sharing Behaviors and the Discourse around Children’s Online Privacy. In Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp.1-17). https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642447 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642447

Suárez-Álvarez, R., & García-Jiménez, A. (2021). Centennials on TikTok: type of video. Analysis and comparative Spain- Great Britain by gender, age, and nationality. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 79, 1-22. https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2021-1503 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4185/10.4185/RLCS-2021-1503

Torres Romay, E., & García Mirón, S. (2020). Sharenting: ‘Mother-Influencers’ and the commercial use of children’s images. Redmarka. Revista de Marketing Aplicado, 24(2), 160-179. https://doi.org/10.17979/redma.2020.24.2.7103 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17979/redma.2020.24.2.7103

Verswijvel, K., Walrave, M., Hardies, K., & Heirman, W. (2019). Sharenting, is it a good or a bad thing? Understanding how adolescents think and feel about sharenting on social network sites. Children and youth services review, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104401 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104401

Weinlich, P., & Semerádová, T. (2022). Emotional, cognitive and conative response to influencer marketing. New Techno Humanities, 2(1), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techum.2022.07.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techum.2022.07.004

Yates C. (2023). Influencing “Kidfluencing”: Protecting Children by Limiting the Right to Profit From “Sharenting”, 25. Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 845. https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol25/iss4/6

Yegen, C., & Mondal, S. R. (2021). Sharenting: A new paradigm of digital entertainment of new age parenting and social media. In S. Das, and S. Gochhait (Eds.), Digital Entertainment. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9724-4_11 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9724-4_11