The scary truth about sharenting

Have you ever wondered how many photos of children are floating around the internet? The answer may shock you. According to a recent survey commissioned by Deutsche Telekom, a whopping 86 percent of parents share pictures and videos of their offspring online. We're all guilty of posting a cute childhood photo every now and then to show family and friends how quickly our little ones are growing up.

But what we often overlook are the devastating consequences that these seemingly harmless posts can have.

The Deepfake Nightmare: “A Message from Ella”

Deutsche Telekom has sparked an international outcry with its #ShareWithCare campaign, revealing how dangerous sharing children's photos online can really be. The centerpiece of this campaign is the shocking deepfake video “A Message from Ella.”

In this video, 9-year-old Ella, or at least a deceptively real version of her, turns to her unsuspecting parents and confronts them with the dark side of sharenting. It's news that should shake us all up, as Ella represents an entire generation of children who are unknowingly falling victim to digital dangers.

The nightmare called “sharenting”

“Sharenting” – a word that most of us didn’t even know until recently. It is the ominous fusion of “sharing” and “parenting” that represents the seemingly harmless posting of children’s photos on social networks.

But dark dangers lurk behind this seemingly harmless act of sharing. From identity theft to data traffickers to pedophilia, the risks are real and frightening. A survey found that only a third of parents know that a child's photo can be used for identity theft. Awareness of these dangers is urgently needed.

The disturbing survey results

The Deutsche Telekom survey shows that sharing children's photos on the Internet is widespread. The younger the children are, the more often photos and videos of them are shared. But confidence in the security of these images is deceptive. While 85 percent of those surveyed trust that the content shared will not be passed on, 65 percent are unsure about the whereabouts of these photos and videos.

Education and protection for our children

There is great uncertainty, and this is the moment when Telekom starts its #ShareWithCare campaign. The Teachtoday is committed to promoting safe media use and offers practical tips and materials for children, parents and educational professionals. The kids themselves are also informed, because knowledge is the best protection. The “Secure Digital” guide from Telekom Security GmbH gives concrete tips on how to avoid risks online.

Conclusion: Let's protect our children online!

The shocking facts are here and it is time to act. Sharing children's photos may be done out of love and pride, but we must be aware that by doing so we are unintentionally putting our children in danger. #ShareWithCare is not just a campaign, but an urgent message to all of us: let's protect our children online before it's too late. Let us respect the privacy and security of our children and ensure that they grow up in a digital world that offers them prosperity and security.

One thing is certain: the truth about sharenting is alarming, but it is in our hands to do something about it. Take action to protect our children online, because they are our future and they deserve nothing less than our full attention and safety.

Would you like to stay up to date with the latest developments in the digital world? Sign up for the Mimikama newsletter and take advantage of our media education offering to strengthen your digital skills. The truth is in your hands, don't be fooled!

Source:

Press portal

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )