“SHARENTING” CAN BE defined in dual terms. One, as a congregation for parents on social media to share experiences and stories of their children in exchange for support and advice; and two, the more contestable issue of oversharing child-focused images and content.
Naturally, during Covid, both activities spiked.
Through parents, a child’s digital identity is often shaped long before they are personally acquainted with the online world. Mother of two Ester Laura J., for example, uploads photos and videos of her children on social media at least twice weekly. “I make TikTok videos and share them on WhatsApp or on my Facebook feed and story. I love keeping them as digital memories, it makes me happy to know that I can be reminded of them again years later.” Nur Hafizah Umar, also a mother of two, agrees, “I post on social media to keep track of my children’s milestones and to relive the memories we created together as a family.”
But there are mums who refrain from fully participating in “sharenting”. Nabilah Wan guards her children’s privacy fiercely, and only shares photos of special occasions on Facebook and Instagram once she deems them safe.
