Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner (CC) for England, has provided a wake-up call to the millions of parents who regularly share information about their children on social media, also known as “sharenting.” According to the CC report, “by time the average child is 13 years old, parents will have posted about 1,300 photos and videos on social media. Children 11-16 average 26 posts to social media per day—a total of 70,000 posts by age 18.” If you’re a parent of small children, you need to educate them about how to minimize their digital footprints, and how the wrong people could use their information.

For example, the international investment bank Barclays predicts that by 2030 “sharenting will account for two-thirds of identity fraud facing young people over 18 and will cost over 800 million per year.”

The Data

There are three categories of data being collected on children:

1. Information shared online, which includes social media updates on your profiles. Data is also being collected through smartphones, tablets, and through your browsing and search engine history.

2. Data siphoned through information shared in your home through smart speakers, high tech connected toys, and baby cameras.

3. Information shared outside your home by GPS tracking devices, school databases, retail loyalty programs, medical records, and travel passes.

The Risks

The digital world in which we live is a two-edged sword. While access to personal and behavioral data can improve things like public services and health care, the risks must not be ignored.

First, public services are not always transparent about their security policies. Most parents don’t think twice about data shared with public or general practitioner services. The CC report noted that, “public bodies do not always observe robust standards of privacy, security, or redress” thereby putting sensitive information about children’s health and educational performance at risk.

Second, unsecured Bluetooth connections “mean that hackers can gain control of some devices, viewing a sleeping child on a baby camera or talking to them through their toy.” The report discovered that last year 2 million voice messages between children and family members via toys were found stored unprotected online. Scary stuff, indeed.

Third is the risk of predators obtaining a child’s location. Thankfully, most parents are aware of this danger and other threats, like cyber-bullying and harmful content, and have taught their kids how to protect themselves. In spite of this, over 10% of children in the UK experienced personal data misuse in the last year.

However, there is a wider context that parents need to be aware of. Children’s ever-increasing digital footprint is being monitored by criminals. The CC report stated this information is “stored until they turn 18, at which point fraudulent loans and credit card applications were made.” Over time they have collected such things as mothers’ maiden names, pet names, schools attended, and other information used in security questions.

Future Impact

The CC report also addressed the issue of how younger generations are being conditioned to offer up personal information freely without hesitation. The Guardian reported the concern that “collecting personal information from children so regularly normalizes the act of surveillance.” It causes me to wonder whether this is a prelude to a time when those who do not comply with information demands will not be allowed to buy or sell. (See Revelation 13:17.)

Algorithms are being created to analyze personal data and form profiles that could significantly impact a person’s life.

Personal information, shared over years, could also impact children’s future employment and place in society. Data would be used to determine what a person’s preferences are, what kind of behavior to expect, or even if they would be allowed to take out a loan. Algorithms are being created to analyze personal data and form profiles that could significantly impact a person’s life. The report stated that, “for children growing up today, and the generations that follow them, the impact of profiling will be even greater—simply because there is more information about them.”

Longfield calls on parents and schools to “take action now to understand and control who knows what about our children.” Moms and dads, you need to think twice before posting information, photos, and videos about your kids on social media. Your children need guidance and protection, so make sure you have the necessary conversations about this issue. Be open to learning from them since they often know more about the digital world than you do.