Think twice before sharing photos of your kids online, experts say

Attracting child predators, unknowingly contributing to child exploitation websites, increasing a child’s risk of being bullied, enforcing an anxiety-prone lifestyle – the risks of sharenting are plenty, even with most research still in the nascent stages. — Dreamstime/TNS

It was shortly after first hearing the term online that psychologist Susan Albers started being asked about “sharenting” in her counseling sessions this year. Seemingly harmless on the surface, the social media trend has experts concerned. So Albers’ patients wanted answers.

“Teenagers, in particular, bring it up because their parents are sharing information they’re uncomfortable with,” she told Cleveland Clinic. Sharenting is when a parent shares photos and other information about their child on social media. It’s a prevalent practice that has Albers worried for many millennials.