Sharenting: are you leaving your kids’ digital footprints for scammers to find?

Sharenting refers to parents sharing details of their child’s life online, creating a digital footprint that can be public and permanent long after the moment has passed. The article notes that both active footprints (photos, posts, usernames) and passive footprints (cookies, location data, app activity) contribute to a child’s online history, which can affect future opportunities and safety.

Two real-life examples are shared, including a Florida-based story in which a mother handed over $15,000 after scammers used AI to clone her daughter’s voice in a panic-inducing call, and a fake gamer profile that used a school name to personalise a message to Max, illustrating how easily details can be linked. It also highlights risks such as cyberbullying and identity theft from birthdates, addresses, and other data visible online.

Practical steps urged include modelling good privacy habits, reviewing privacy settings, using pseudonyms, turning off geotags, and agreeing as a family on what may be shared, according to Matt Burgess.