81% of children are online before the age of two – breaking latest news

Lo sharenting, ovvero the habit of sharing images or information about minors online, an increasingly widespread practice. A new study, signed by the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP) and published on Journal of Pediatricsshowed that this seemingly innocuous trend hides some dangers of which the parents themselves are often unaware and which concern the areas of protection of the image of the minor, the confidentiality of his sensitive data, digital security. One fact among all: a survey conducted by the Australian eSafety Commission showed that around 50% of the material on child pornography sites comes from social media. Parents are mostly unaware of the risks to which they subject their children, he explains Peter Ferrarafirst author of the study on the risks associated with sharenting, professor of Pediatrics at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome and head of the study group for the rights of the child of the SIP.

I study

Recent work, taken up in the study, reported that 81% of children living in Western countries online before the age of 2 (92% in the USA), 33% on the web within a few weeks of birth and 15% in Europe (34% in the USA) on websites and social networks even before birth, through the publication of ultrasound scans. The study starts from an analysis of what is happening in the world on this issue, to share data and information in particular with the European Society of Pediatrics. a fact worldwide: “sharenting” is increasing exponentially, also because the new generations of parents are increasingly digitaland hence the need arises – as an Italian Society of Pediatrics – to consider the effects on the health of children in the short, medium and long term – continues Ferrara -. Social networks are born as an opportunity to connect to other people, but also to receive support and information. Then there are those who publish images of their children because they are driven by a constant search for approval on their parenting, and look dangerously at like with a view to social approval, or those who use children as a source of income. Beyond the more or less noble motivations, in all cases there is no respect for the minor who does not have the possibility to give conscious approval to the use of his own image. Children have the right to privacy and consent as written in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989. Also because everything that is published online, even if cancelled, can remain on the Net, generate embarrassment or inconvenience over time, but it can also get into the wrong hands. Research has shown that most teens are against having their childhood photos published online, Ferrara explains.

Pediatrician advice

With the law 71/17 on cyberbullying, for the first time in Italy, the possibility for a minor, starting from the age of 14, to request the removal of digital content is indicated. a law that arrived very late compared to suicides, to those who have experienced hardship for years without being able to do anything, but it is part of a much broader picture of negative experiences lived on the web and often concerning childhood. The fact that online allows you to relive unpleasant or uncomfortable situations can have psychic and organic results in the person, says Ferrara. For this reason, Sip has drawn up some practical advice:
• make parents aware that lo sharenting a widespread practice but which can hide risks and dangers because it allows a child’s digital dossier to be made available to anyone without him knowing it and having given consent;
• avoid putting sensitive data on the Internet such as full name, addresses, locations because it exposes children to a variety of risks, including identity theft;
• do not share pictures of your children in any state of nudity, not even photos of the sea in swimsuit;
• turn on notifications to notify parents when the child’s name buy in search engines;
• as stated in article 31 of the Constitution, but also in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, respect as much as possible the consent and the right to privacy of minors, to protect their interests and dignity.

Behind a screen

While I’ll take a picture of you, Can you repeat that I’ll take a video?: how many times have you witnessed or been responsible for similar episodes in which the children, resigned, comply with the request to freeze a moment to be able to record it and perhaps share it. This simple gesture, if repeated often, can become an annoying and educationally dangerous routine for children. The child trusts the parents. If you see that every day, continuously, parents feel the need to create digital content and share it online, thinks it is normal and the risk of passing the wrong message on the overuse of technological devices is very high. Indeed, it is no coincidence that in recent years the number of children and adolescents who use electronic means at night has tripled or connects to the electronic device within the first five minutes of waking up or who perhaps consider it “normal” to share their images and talk about themselves, unaware of the dangers of online solicitation, concludes Ferrara.