Sharenthood

Divulging children’s digital data robs them of privacy, thwarts their ability to form their own identities and agency, and limits their prospects.

When parents, educators and other caregivers share information about children digitally, they typically don’t intend to do harm. However, this behavior deprives their charges of a private, protected childhood – a necessity for forming a sense of self and autonomy. Exposing a person’s childhood and adolescence online compromises the vital processes of play, experimentation and learning through trial and error.

Current laws give parents, schools and the government decision-making power over the digital privacy of youth up to age 18. In the bleakest scenarios, this has led to negligent – though not currently illegal – parental oversharing. Even well-meaning caregivers habitually exchange personal information about their charges for free or inexpensive tech access and services. They often don’t fully understand the consequences, and the children never sign on to this deal. Once tech providers have kids’ data, they can commodify or use that data in myriad, long-term ways. 

Young people’s digital...