With back-to-school season in full swing, parents may think twice about posting their youngsters’ “first day of class” photos on social media, based on West Virginia University research.
While posting pictures of children—also known as “sharing”—may seem like a fun and easy way to share, studies from Laurel Cooka social marketing and public policy researcher, indicate that sharing such information poses significant risks.
Cook, associate professor of marketing at John Chambers College of Business and Economicsstudied these risks with her colleagues and her research, published in Journal of Consumer Affairs, reveals that separation is a much more widespread problem than most caregivers realize. Not only does it raise questions about consent and privacy, it also leaves children vulnerable to online predators.
Why do we share?
The desire to share comes naturally.
“It’s like having bragging rights,” Cook said. “But it’s being distributed to a much larger audience.”
There is also a chemical component. Positive social interactions, a comment or a “like” on a post, can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine causes a feeling of reward which, in turn, reinforces the behavior. The more “likes” a user gets, the more likely they are to post again.
The pandemic also changed the way Americans use social media. Virtual interactions replaced face-to-face ones for both adults and children. These, in turn, have led to increased vulnerability. Cook said many parents didn’t grow up with the Internet and aren’t aware of the dangers, the biggest of which is predatory behavior.
“Most food for pedophiles is not produced,” she said. “It comes from parents, from these public posts.”
She presents a simple and troubling analogy: “If we saw a random boy looking in our child’s window, what would our reaction be? Think about that situation on the Internet. The only difference is the physical versus the virtual realm.”
Parents and guardians often assume that strict privacy settings will limit the audience of the post, but once a photo is online, anyone who views the image can save and/or share it. Likewise, schools and camps often post photos of students as part of promotional materials, and they may also be unaware of the dangers.
In addition to a child’s safety, separation raises questions about consent. Unlike parents who worry about privacy, many social media influencers include their children in their content for profit.
“It’s very clear that there is no real consent with many of these children,” Cook said. “The view that my colleagues and I have is that if the child is not capable of understanding and giving consent – whatever age that may be for that child – then all that information should probably be kept private.”
She suggests not posting anything too personal; events such as birthday parties may be shared after the fact and caregivers should take care not to disclose the dates, times or locations of such events.
Data collection
Both social media platforms and third-party websites collect user data. This data may come from shared content and is used to track personally identifiable information. Collection can begin before a child is born and create a digital footprint that follows them throughout their lives.
“A lot more people have access to information about a minor than I think the world knows,” Cook said.
Personally identifiable information may include name, social security number, and date of birth, but not all data collected is demographic. Some are psychographic, describing people in terms of their psychological attributes. This may include a user’s personality, the type of sites they visit or their purchasing behaviours.
However, it’s not a child’s future search engine results that worry researchers the most.
“It’s the fact that No. 1, there is zero consent,” Cook said. “No. 2, information sharing can be used for nefarious purposes in some cases, and this has a commercial component. So there is money to exchange hands for these types of images and videos. And then the number 3, it has now become even more socially acceptable to crave. Through sponsorships, parenting influencers are now benefiting from the use of their children’s images online.”
Dark design
TheIn her research on sharing, Cook has looked at dark design, an intentionally deceptive user interface designed to manipulate users into consenting to data collection, among other things. This manipulation can be as simple as color choices. A user can visit a site like Instagram and be presented with two buttons. The A button, which asks for permission to personalize ads, is bright blue and sounds customized for users. The B button, which designates a choice as less custom, is dark and easy to miss.
Otherwise, the dark design may mislead the user, who may be a child, ofto sharing their personal information, which in turn may be used to encourage them to sign up for emails and services or make online purchases. Cook said a child’s digital footprint can include accumulated pieces of information such as their Little League team, their love of certain foods and their favorite apps.
Policy formation
Regulators and policy makers are just beginning to understand how much data exists on each user.
“That’s why I’m working with a number of legal experts on this project, because this idea of consent is still legally debated,” Cook said. “Policymakers in the UK and the US need to have a common understanding of what it means to accept.”
Such laws in the European Union are stricter than those in the US, where data collection is largely unregulated. However, she is encouraged to see US lawmakers actively drawing on empirical research and applying it to policymaking.
Cook’s team also reached out to experts in psychology and sociology for collaboration, though some were wary of working with a marketer.
“A lot of people think of marketing as bad, like you’re trying to push a product.”
OHowever, after she explained the purpose of her investigation, co-workers joined the discussion. The team now works with international advocacy groups to gain a better understanding of the issues and disseminate information.
Ultimately, Cook’s goal is to help parents and caregivers navigate the challenges of separation.
“That’s what makes me wake up excited every day, to know that my work is not just theory,” she said. “It’s something that can move the dial a bit, to help things change or at least raise awareness of the situation and find solutions. I want this environment for children and teenagers to be addressed. I’m very passionate about it.”
Quote: Sharing in an Evolving Digital World: Increasing Internet Connectivity and Consumer Vulnerability
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lr/08/18/22
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