You hand your kids a tablet and assume it’s harmless fun.

(After all, your kid couldn’t even spell 18+ websites on their own, right?)

But behind every YouTube video or TikTok scroll, online platforms are quietly at work.

They track clicks. They track time spent. They track everything. This information forms a profile of who your child is online.

Online platforms don’t just entertain children. They track, store, and share data that shapes their digital footprint, often without the consent of children or their parents, and without them realizing the potential risks.

Online platforms don’t just entertain children. They track, store, and share data that shapes their digital footprint, often without the consent of children or their parents, and without them realizing the potential risks.

And this data doesn’t always stay in one place. It spreads across the world into different countries, sometimes under vague permissions hidden deep in the terms of service. In some cases, it can even be sold to advertisers or exposed in hacks and leaks, putting your child’s sensitive information and overall data privacy at risk.

In 2025, the FTC fined Disney $10 million for allowing personal data to be collected from children under 13 on YouTube through kid-directed videos, without obtaining proper parental consent under COPPA.

The issue? Disney failed to label some videos as “Made for Kids.” Because they weren’t labeled, YouTube treated them as general content, enabling data collection and targeted advertising even though many of the viewers were underage children online.
Most kids don’t understand data privacy and what they’re agreeing to. Let’s be honest—most parents don’t either.

Rarely is there true informed consent.

And without clear informed consent, kids are left open to potential risks that touch their privacy, their choices, and even their mental health. The truth is, much of this comes from how social media platforms are designed. As the saying goes, “If you’re not paying for it, then you are the product.”

The endless feeds, targeted ads, and subtle nudges turn children’s clicks and online behavior into profit.

This is why the next step matters: even if the platforms don’t change, parents can. The real question becomes what happens when kids dive into social media use without learning what appropriate use actually looks like?

Social media feels like the air our kids breathe. It’s where they connect, laugh, and share. But without guidance, it can also be where they get hurt.

​For underage children online, this data collection process is especially concerning. Algorithms don’t care how old their users are. They only want every opportunity to get your kid’s attention.

A 10-year-old might get fashion ads designed for an 18-year-old. A quick watch of one video could flood their feed with content they’re not ready for, and it often leads to negative results.

These negative consequences often appear quietly. A child feels social pressure to look or act a certain way. They compare themselves, and their self-esteem drops.

Or they want to share photos, share images, or even reveal sensitive information just to fit in.

An example of this was years ago, when teens were taunting their peers on social media platforms during the “Hey Girls Did You Know” trend.

Think about a single post. Maybe you or your family share pictures from a vacation. The photo shows your hotel name. The background reveals the city you’re visiting. The caption mentions how long you’ll be away.

Individually, these details feel harmless. Together, they pose potential risks because they paint a very clear picture of your past and current situations.

This is exactly how burglars pieced together information to rob a home because the family decided to share photos of their vacation, unintentionally signaling that no one was at the house.

It’s a sharp reminder that even simple social media content can produce negative effects far beyond what we imagine. What feels like a fun update for friends can double as a valuable detail for strangers.

And once something is posted online? Control is gone. It could be saved, shared, or misused. Worst, serious consequences—like bullying, or even identity theft—creep in.

In rare cases, the biggest part of a child’s digital footprint doesn’t come from them. It comes from what experts call sharenting behavior.

Many parents post their child’s milestones on social media platforms, but without children’s consent, sharing content can blur the line between memories and potential risks.

Many parents post their child’s milestones on social media platforms, but without children’s consent, sharing content can blur the line between memories and potential risks.

Sharenting refers to parents who regularly share photos, updates, or milestones of their children online, often through social media platforms. It can start as something simple: posting a baby’s first steps, a photo of the first day of school, or a birthday celebration.

Why has it become such a trend? Because today’s parents live in a digital-first culture. For many parents, sharing content about their kids feels like second nature. Family updates used to stay in photo albums or holiday cards. Now, they’re posted online in real time without their children’s consent.

Take the story reported by CNN: Cam Barrett still remembers the exact date her mother announced her first menstrual period—because it was posted on Facebook when she was only nine years old. Over the years, her mother also posted details about her adoption, medical diagnoses, even photos from a car accident and hospital stay.

These social media posts earned attention and perks, but they also brought bullying, anxiety, and long-lasting mental health struggles. Barrett describes hiding from cameras at home, worried that any private moment would end up posted online.

Out of love, out of parental pride, we post. We celebrate. But without realizing it, sharenting parents may reveal more about their child’s life than the child ever would. Over time, those social media posts can shape a child’s digital identity before they’re even old enough to decide for themselves.

And that’s where new risks emerge. Technology is moving faster than our instincts.

Just consider this recent headline: “Sharing photos of your kids? Maybe not after you watch this deepfake ad - ABC News” (ABC News). It’s a chilling reminder of how images of children online can be repurposed in ways no parent ever intended.

That headline is more than clickbait. It’s proof that once children’s photos are online, they can be twisted, copied, or misused in ways parents never imagined. And the risks don’t end there.

When we ignore children’s privacy, the fallout doesn’t wait until adulthood. It can start tomorrow.

In August 2024, a Houston man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for using Instagram to pose as a teen and solicit explicit photos from girls as young as eight. Authorities found over 7,500 exploitative images on his devices. Cases like this show just how quickly children online can be targeted when their privacy isn’t protected.

This is why raising awareness about children’s rights is so important. Respecting their privacy today protects their well-being tomorrow.

It starts with you.

​Awareness alone isn’t enough. It has to be passed on. As parents, you’re the first line of support in parenting, the ones who can guide safe media use before habits become ingrained.

When parents share pictures and use social media platforms daily, children online tend to copy them. Start teaching them safe habits early.

When parents share pictures and use social media platforms daily, children online tend to copy them. Start teaching them safe habits early.

Here’s the thing: waiting until high school is too late. By then, your child has already left behind a load of information about themselves and formed patterns of media use—scrolling, liking, posting, and sometimes oversharing.

It’s their new normal.

When parents share pictures, post about restaurant reviews, and share family milestones, leaving a digital print becomes a daily habit. These moments teach them that in this world, they have to share online.

And here’s what I’ve seen: many parents assume their child will “just know” the rules once they get their first phone.

The truth is, kids copy what they see. If posting and scrolling are daily habits for parents, that becomes the child’s baseline. They grow up thinking that every milestone and every moment is meant to be shared online.

That’s why modeling matters so much. Your choices quietly teach them what “normal” looks like, whether that’s caution or oversharing.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t hand over the car keys and say, “Figure it out.” You’d sit beside them, demonstrate safe habits, and guide them until they’re ready.

That’s exactly how teaching media use works.

(Some of you would say: that’s why we should ban them from having social media accounts right off the bat! But that’s not the solution. The internet is here and here to stay. How would you expect your kid to navigate this online world on their own when you’re no longer here to guide them?)

So start right now. Do it slowly. Talk openly, and show them what the appropriate use of the phone and internet looks like.

Because in reality, teaching appropriate use isn’t only about what your kids post today. It’s also about helping them look back, clean up, and take charge of what’s already online.

The words “forever online” can sound terrifying. But here’s the hopeful part: there’s a lot you can do right now. You can learn how to delete digital footprint traces and help your child regain control.

Start small.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about fear. It’s about giving your child the confidence they need. Helping them explore the digital world while knowing you’ve got their back.