Perceptions of Sharenting among Parents in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

With the rise of social media use in Maiduguri, parents increasingly share information about their children online, a practice known as sharenting. This raises concerns about children’s privacy and online safety. Despite the growing significance of sharenting in digital parenting and child privacy there is limited understanding of how parents in Maiduguri perceive sharenting, the social media platform parents in Maiduguri use for sharenting, the frequency at which parents engage in sharenting, their reasons for the practice and awareness of parents in Maiduguri on the consequences associated with sharenting. The study was guided by Perceptions Theory and Communication Privacy Management Theories. The survey design was employed in the study with the questionnaire as instrument of data collection administered to 385 respondents selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Findings revealed that parents in Maiduguri preferred to use Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram for sharenting although other platforms like Tiktok, Snap Chat, Youtube and X (Twitter) are utilised. The frequency of posting varied, with most parents sharing a few times yearly and monthly. Key reasons for sharenting practices include; to share memories and joy of being a parent. While some parents are aware of the consequences associated with sharenting, such as privacy breach, others lack such awareness. The study concludes that parents in Maiduguri engage in sharenting across various social media platforms, driven by different reasons, such as sharing memories, joy of being a parent and express gratitude to God for the gift of child/children. The frequency of this practice is influenced by personal opinions and factors such as culture, religion, and perceived risks. The level of awareness and its potential risk varies among parents, indicating that some parents are aware of the problems that could emerge because of disclosing too much information about their children online while other parents remain unaware. Highlighting the need of implementing targeted educational programmes and awareness campaigns to inform parents about the risks of sharenting, as protecting children’s digital rights is crucial in today’s technology driven world. While sharenting, reflects evolving parenting practices, it also raises important ethical and security concerns that require attention from both parents and policymakers.