Lorraine Williamson
What appears to be a harmless holiday snap or birthday video can quickly become something far more serious once it leaves the safety of a family phone.
In Spain – and across the world – thousands of images of children are uploaded to social media every day. Many are posted with pride or affection, yet they can unintentionally expose a child’s identity, location and routine to strangers online. Increasingly, governments and experts are warning that the consequences of sharing children’s images online may last far beyond the moment they are posted.
Growing awareness, absent consent
Most children today begin their digital lives before they can even speak. Studies suggest that over 80% of babies in Spain appear on social media within their first six months. A quarter already have an online profile before birth, created from ultrasound photos shared by excited parents.
Yet these children have no say. By the time they reach adolescence, many find their childhood – bath-time photos, first day of school, emotional moments – already archived permanently online. They did not choose this digital identity, and cannot erase it easily. What began as a family memory becomes part of a searchable global database.
From family album to public domain
The issue is no longer simply about over-sharing. Images uploaded to Facebook, Instagram or TikTok can be copied, edited, downloaded and redistributed in seconds. Once online, they can be misused for cyberbullying, manipulated for explicit content, or even stored on illegal websites. Parents often do not realise that by tagging a child’s school, holiday resort or home, they are disclosing exact locations that can be traced by anyone.
This exposure has psychological weight. Teenagers report embarrassment, anxiety and anger when they discover old photos of themselves circulating online. Some experience bullying at school after private images are found and shared by classmates.
Spain prepares to restrict sharenting
Aware of the growing risks, Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children, led by Sira Rego, has started work on Europe’s first legal framework to curb “sharenting” – the posting of children’s images, videos or personal details by parents or guardians without consent. The proposed law seeks to protect children’s digital rights, limit their commercial exploitation on social media, and give them control of their own online identity once they are old enough.
Public consultations are now under way. The ministry insists it does not aim to punish parents, but to encourage reflection. It wants families to understand that a child’s image is not simply content – it is part of their identity and future.
Psychological and commercial consequences
Psychologists warn that constant online exposure can distort a child’s self-image. Some grow up feeling watched, evaluated or pressured to behave for the camera. Others struggle with the idea that private family moments were shared publicly without their permission.
The trend of monetising children’s images – through influencer accounts or brand partnerships – adds another layer of concern. Spain argues that this blurs ethical boundaries, turning children into commercial assets before they understand what it means.
Safer ways to share
Until legislation is approved, digital experts advise parents to take simple precautions:
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Avoid posting identifiable faces or locations.
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Use private family groups rather than public profiles.
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Remove older posts with personal information.
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Ask for a child’s opinion before sharing photos, especially once they are old enough to understand.
These steps do not eliminate the joy of sharing milestones with friends or relatives, but they place a child’s safety before their online visibility.
A shift in how we protect childhood
Spain’s move has sparked conversation beyond its borders. As more countries debate children’s digital rights, the question is no longer whether parents have the right to post. It is whether children have the right not to be posted.
A generation is growing up with digital footprints they never chose. By reflecting more carefully on how and where children’s images online are shared, society can begin to rebuild the boundary between public life and private childhood – before it disappears completely.
Source: Antena 3