A stark new warning has gone viral across Ireland as the Irish Data Protection Commission urges parents to “pause before you post” in a chilling social media awareness campaign highlighting the hidden dangers of sharenting.
The Data Protection Commission reminds parents: "The simple act of sharing information, photos, and videos of children online can lead to unintended oversharing of personal data, which, in the wrong hands, can have serious consequences."
The viral campaign follows the fictional story of Éabha and her family, revealing how everyday posts can quietly build a detailed profile of a child without parents even realising.
According to the DPC, “Our ‘Pause Before You Post’ Awareness Campaign is designed to show how those risks can play out in real life, as we learn from the family’s interactions with the three ‘strangers’. From their social media posts, Éabha’s parents have inadvertently ‘shared with the world’ her name, age, date of birth, photos of her friends, the name and location of her football club , her training schedule and the fact that her Dad is not always on time to collect her. We also show how easy it is for images to end up in the wrong hands, as we see our third stranger downloading one of the photos of Éabha and saving it to his phone.”
The campaign has struck a nerve with parents online, largely because the risks it highlights are already happening every day across social media. Among the dangers outlined:
Digital footprint: Parents may unintentionally build their child’s lifelong digital footprint before the child can consent. These posts can be impossible to erase later. Sharing without discussion also removes an opportunity to teach children about consent and privacy.
Misuse of images: Once posted online, images can be copied, altered or repurposed. The DPC warns that photos of children can be used in harmful ways, including deepfakes and child sexual abuse material. Research referenced in the campaign shows that just 20 images are enough to create a deepfake — and parents upload an average of 63 images per month.
Vulnerability to unwanted contact: Photos and videos often contain GPS metadata, revealing where a child lives, trains, attends school or spends free time. This can be extremely dangerous in the hands of the wrong person.
Online reputation: Harmless childhood snaps can easily become embarrassing or harmful later. What seems cute today may be mortifying tomorrow — and once circulated, it’s difficult to control who sees it.
Identity theft and fraud: Personal details often shared by parents — names, birthdays, schools, sports clubs — can be weaponised for identity theft. Projections cited in the campaign warn that by 2030, sharenting could account for two-thirds of identity fraud, with millions of cases predicted.
The DPC delivers the campaign’s final warning with stark simplicity:
Remember: When you share their life online, you risk sharing their personal data with the world. Pause before you post.
