Behind the Lens: Sharenting, Family Vlogging, and the Psychological Impact of Growing Up Online
Behind the Lens: Sharenting, Family Vlogging, and the Psychological Impact of Growing Up Online
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Issue Date
2025-07
Authors
Neilson, Nicole
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Abstract
This capstone synthesizes research on the psychological, developmental, and systemic impacts of sharenting, the practice of parents sharing children's images and information online. This work explores how early and ongoing digital exposure influences autonomy, identity formation, and relational boundaries. Guided by Erikson's Psychosocial Development Theory, Bowen Family Systems Theory, and Goffman's Dramaturgical Approach, the literature review synthesizes research on the ways curated online portrayals shape self-concept, disrupt family dynamics, and create lasting digital legacies. The review also evaluates four intervention models, Circle of Security Parenting, Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, Mindful Parenting, and psychoeducation, as potential frameworks for guiding caregivers toward ethical, developmentally informed sharing practices. The capstone addresses implications for mental health professionals, caregivers, policymakers, technology platforms, and community organizations, recommending stronger legal safeguards for child influencers, integration of digital ethics into counselling practice, and platform-level measures to protect minors' privacy. These recommendations aim to support child-centred, ethically responsible approaches to online content creation involving children.
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Keywords
sharenting , kidfluencer , influencer , family vlog , vlog , psychosocial development theory , family systems theory , dramaturgical approach , child online safety , mommy vlogger , performative parenting , mindful parenting , circle of security parenting (COS-P) , emotion-focused family therapy (EFFT) , digital boundaries , social media , psychoeducation , familly vlogging , child influencers , online child exploitation , parent–child relationships , children’s digital privacy
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess