Childhood Without Consent: Sharenting, Digital Identity Formation, and Neuropsychological Vulnerability in Children

The practice of sharenting—wherein parents share photographs, videos, and personal information about their children on social media platforms—has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in contemporary parenting. While motivated by affection and community connection, this practice raises critical concerns regarding children's consent, privacy, and developmental vulnerability. Children aged 0–12 years lack the cognitive capacity to comprehend the permanence and implications of digital disclosure, yet they are subjected to digital footprints constructed without their knowledge or authorization. This review examines sharenting as a socio-cultural trend and explores its multifaceted role in shaping children's digital identity formation and neuropsychological vulnerability during critical developmental windows. Drawing on attachment theory, psychosocial development frameworks, and neuroscientific evidence, this paper synthesizes current literature on how early digital exposure intersects with children's stress regulation systems, emotional development, and emerging sense of self. The review also identifies privacy risks including identity theft, digital kidnapping, and cyberbullying, alongside evolving legal frameworks (GDPR, COPPA, and emerging state and national legislation) designed to protect children's digital rights. This paper concludes that protecting children's autonomy in the digital age requires a multidimensional approach involving parental awareness, educational interventions, technological safeguards, and policy enforcement. Understanding sharenting's mechanisms is essential for educators, policymakers, mental health professionals, and parents committed to safeguarding childhood autonomy and psychological integrity in an increasingly digitized world.