SHARENTING FROM THE CHILDREN'S RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE: LEGAL REFLECTIONS

Abstract

The digital transformation experienced by globalization and developments in information and
communication technologies has begun to be discussed not only in the economy and education, but
also in the structure and functions of the family institution. Digitalization has brought risks as well
as new opportunities, and it is undoubtedly children who have the potential to be most affected by
these risks. The responsibility of protecting children from the risks of digitalization and protecting
their right to healthy development rests primarily with parents.
“Sharenting”, the practice of sharing personal information and images of children, who are defined
as “digital natives” today, on social media by their parents can lead to violation of child privacy and
abuse of children when done unconsciously. These sharings of parents with different motivations
will violate children's right to privacy not only today but also in the future. Although the negative
consequences of these shares in the near future are not fully known, the main risk in the
phenomenon of sharing is that the child loses his privacy and becomes public.
In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the sharenting phenomenon in the perspective of children's
rights within the framework of international conventions and national legal norms. For this purpose,
studies in the literature were reached, the risks of sharenting in accordance with the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child and the 1982 Constitution, the Turkish Criminal Code and the Turkish
Civil Code were discussed, and the measures that could be taken against the sharenting
phenomenon, legal sanctions and suggestions were given.