Understanding how exposure on social networks can cause enormous personal and professional damage
It is no exaggeration to say that the sharing habits on social networks developed by users of digital platforms lead to overexposure, often not even scaled by these individuals. The truth is that what a profile reveals on a social network will most likely be seen by the whole world and, somehow, will be recorded in that environment forever, creating a digital trail that cannot be erased.
When individuals who practice this type of obsessive social behavior are parents, the tendency is that the publications they make also involve the daily lives of their children, be they teenagers, children, babies and even fetuses.
In this context, the phenomenon known as sharingnting has been identified. The expression of English origin is a combination of the words ‘share’ and ‘parenting’ and refers to the sharing of information about children by their parents. However, far from being a harmless practice, sharing causes a range of harm to exposed children and adolescents.
The danger for young people
Precisely because children are characterized as human beings still in a state of development and, consequently, more vulnerable, they thus become subjects worthy of protection by the state, society and their family.
In this sense, the protection of relevant aspects of children’s privacy has become a central concern of the national legislator, and can be observed through specific provisions of the Statute of Childhood and Adolescence (ECA), in the Federal Constitution of 1988, in la General Data Protection Law (LGPD), as well as international treaties (Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).
From a legal point of view, the excessive exposure of minors, even with the consent of their parents, is problematic in the sense of protecting their private life, image and intimacy, especially considering that these rights are intrinsically linked to their use. and to the enjoyment of their owner and to relate to his physical and mental way of being.
For the child, who often does not know that his photo is circulating on social media or even has the discernment to understand what it means, the consequences can be irreparable. A viral image is capable of reaching an expressive number of individuals, ensuring that its content is never deleted, as many people will start owning it.
Although the revelations are limited to birthday parties or the child’s daily life, information such as full name, date of birth and place of residence can be easily discovered without the child’s desire and, unfortunately, used against them later.
There are also cases of exposure and commodification. Some benefits, in fact, are undeniable, especially when this amount is passed on to expenses related to the education and support of the child. However, the risks and insecurities arising from this exposure also exist and are many, not to mention the exploitation of child labor that many children experience under the “fun” makeup.
The hidden dangers on YouTube
YouTube’s algorithms make it easier and easier to discover similar content, and videos featuring children are no exception. In this case, “comic” content intended as parental humiliation of their children and generating millions of views can be used, for example, as evidence of the loss of custody of these parents.
Other hypotheses about this exhibition come from pedophiles’ access to harmless videos of children. Through internet algorithms, the video reaches the criminal who comments on a time code of a certain view as a signal to his companions. Likewise, sharing contributes to the advent of cyberbullying, as minors have access to their information and their lives are exposed to attackers.
It is true that the rights of children and adolescents, together with data protection, must seek to protect minors within networks. And, in the cases of sharing, children and adolescents have increased their online presence and exposure to dangers, as well as joining the addiction that is access to social networks, all as a result of their parents’ online activity.
Finally, on the case, the precedents have shown that, although there are exceptions based on activities in the home, it is possible to damage the privacy of children through the use of wide-ranging social networks.
Bianca Lemos and Débora Ghelman are family and successor lawyers and partners of Lemos & Ghelman Advogados.
Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
