Sharenting

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO CONVERSATIONS LIVE.

I'M BILL HALLMAN.

WE'RE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE Dr. KEIKO MIWA ROSS WPSU PRODUCTION STUDIO.

AN ESTIMATED 83 PERCENT OF PARENTS NATIONWIDE USE SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEY USE PLATFORMS LIKE FACEBOOK TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, TEACHERS, AND COACHES.

MOMS AND DADS ARE ALSO TURNING TO ONLINE GROUPS FOR ALL SORTS OF PARENTING ADVICE.

SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A POWERFUL TOOL FOR ANYONE RAISING A FAMILY.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO POSTING PICTURES OR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CHILDREN, THERE CAN BE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

IT IS SOMETHING COMMONLY KNOW AS SHARENTING, AND THAT IS OUT TOPIC FOR TONIGHT.

LET'S MEET OUR GUESTS.

Dr. PRIYA KUMAR IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE COLLEGE OF INFORMATION SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY AT PENN STATE.

HER RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW THE DATAFICATION OF FAMILY LIFE AFFECTS PRIVACY AND AGENCY.

AND JOINING US VIA ZOOM IS Dr. ALEXA FOX.

SHE IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MARKETING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON.

HER RESEARCH INTERESTS INCLUDE DIGITAL MARKETING, ONLINE PRIVACY AND SHARENTING.

WHETHER YOU'RE WATCHING US ON TV, STREAMING US ONLINE OR LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

CALL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AT 1-800-543-8242 OR EMAIL CONNECT AT WPSU.ORG.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SETTING THE GOAL POSTS.

LET'S DEFINE SHARENTING SO THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU ABOUT WHAT TOPICS THAT YOU HOPE WE CAN COVER TONIGHT.

SO ALEXA, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT IS SHARENTING?

>> >> WELL, SHARENTING IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE ABOUT A CHILD.

THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARE ABOUT A CHILD COULD BE REALLY ANY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OR PROBABLY AMONG THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF INFORMATION SHAREDED.

AND TONIGHT WE'LL LOOK AT THIS FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES.

YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AND YOU THINK THIS IS ABOUT PARENTS AND CHILDREN BUT THERE IS ALSO OTHER STAKE STAKEHOLDERS.

ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOL, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMPANIES EVEN PLAY A ROLE AND WE'LL DISCUSS THESE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THIS EVENING.

>> AND HOW DO YOU APPROACH THIS?

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF SHARENTING.

>> AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED, SHARENT IS AN OFFICIAL WORD LAST YEAR IN 2022, IT ENTERED THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY DEFINED SIMILAR TO HOW ALEXA DEFINED IT.

BUT I WANT TO SAY, I'M NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF THE WORD AND BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT ENTERED OUR VOCABULARIRY.

THE FIRST KNOWN REFERENCE IS FROM 2012, AND IT APPEARED IN A "WALL STREET JOURNAL" HEADLINE, AND IT WAS, ARE YOU A MOM OR DAD WHO IS GUILTY OF OVERSHARENTING?

THE CURE MAY BE TO NOT SHARE AT AND I THINK IT IS TELLING THIS WORD ENTERED OUR VOCABULARIRY THIS IDEA THAT PARENTS, WHEN THEY USED SOCIAL MEDIA, ARE AUTOMATICALLY DOING SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF EXCESSIVE, THAT IS OVER THE TOP AND MAYBE SOMETHING THEY SHOULD FEEL GUILTY ABOUT.

I LIKE TO-WHEN TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BALANCING THE VERY REAL PRIVACY IN OTHER ISSUES THAT COME WITH USING SOCIAL MEDIA.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT AT ALL, YOU KNOW, PARENTS TO FEEL GUILTY OR FEEL PRESSURED INTO LIKE HAVING TO THINK ABOUT THIS, WHEN THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S A, VERY COMMON, AND B, CAN ACTUALLY BRING THEM A LOT OF BENEFITS.

>> GREAT.

AND SHARENTING IS NOT NEW.

PARENTS HAVE BEEN SHARING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEIR CHILDREN WITH LOVED ONES AND RELATIVES FOR A LONG TIME, FOR DECADE.

I REMEMBER HAVING PHOTO DAY AT SCHOOL COMING HOME WITH THE PACKET AND CUTTING UP ALL OF THE WALLET SIZED PHOTOGRAPHS AND HANDING THEM OUT TO MY COUSINS AND GRANDPARENTS AND THEY PROBABLY STILL HAVE THEM HANGING UP SOMEWHERE.

HOW HAS SHARENTING CHANGED FROM THOSE DAYS?

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT HAS SHIFTED IN THE LAST FEW DECADES.

AND LET'S START WITH YOU.

>> I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO PUT THIS IN CONTEXT.

SO OF COURSE, PARENT DESIRES TO TALK ABOUT AND SHARE CHILDREN EXPERIENCES ARE NOTHING NEW.

WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE BROADER INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT, IN WHICH WE ARE ALL DOING THIS KIND OF COMMUNICATION.

SO, CERTAINLY, BEFORE THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, GETTING ACTUALLY ONE OF NUMBER ONE REASONS WHY PEOPLE GOT A CAMERA WAS FROM THE BIRTH OF A CHILD, TO DOCUMENT THEIR FAMILY MEMORIES, AND, YOU WOULD TAKE THE PICTURES AND GET THEM DEVELOPED AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THEM PHYSICALLY, AND MAYBE YOU HAD A DUPLICATE THAT YOU WOULD SEND TO THE GRANDPARENTS BUT OFTEN, THEY SAT IN A SHOE BOX OR IN A PHOTO ALBUM ONLY TO COME OUT WHEN, YOU KNOW, FAMILY REUNIONS HAPPENED OR YOUR DAUGHTER IS GOING TO PROM.

BUT, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN NOW SO THE DIFFERENCE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THAT WHEN WE SHARE AND COMMUNICATE ABOUT OUR FAMILY, WE'RE DOING SO OFTEN THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE PLATFORMS THAT MEANS THE DATA, THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE NOW DATA THAT AND THAT DATA IS SITTING ON SERVERS THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY CORPORATIONS.

AND, SO WHERE WHEN THE PHOTO WAS IN A SHOE BOX YOU HAD MUCH MORE CONTROL OVER WHO WAS SEEING IT, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT PHOTO.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTROL ANY MORE BECAUSE, THERE IS THIS NEW ACTOR INVOLVED THE CORPORATION, AND, ALSO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH OUR DATA, WHERE IT IS GOING TO GO AND THAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS SUCH A COMPLICATED TOPIC TO NAVIGATE.

>> AND ALEXA, DO YOU A LOT OF RESEARCH WITH HOW PARENTS INTERACT WITH BRANDS.

AGAIN NOT NEW.

PARENTS HAVE BEEN INTERACTING WITH BRANDS FOR DECADES.

I THINK ABOUT THE FAMOUS GERBER BABY CAMPAIGN FROM 90 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS A SKETCH OF A CHILD AND THAT BECAME AN ICONIC IMAGE IN THE WORLD BRANDING.

GERBER BABY STILL SOLICITING PHOTOGRAPHS FROM PARENTS EVERY YEAR TO FIND A NEW GERBER BABY SO HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED AND HOW ARE BRANDS AND PARENTS INTERACTING NOW AND, HOW SHOULD PARENTS THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> PARENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH BRANDS, AND I THINK THAT, ONE INTERESTING CHANGE NOW IS THAT, IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS SHARENTING IDEA SPECIFICALLY, YOU THINK ABOUT IT, MANY OF TODAY'S PARENTS GREW UP SHARING THEIR OWN LIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND, SO REACHING OUT TO SIMILAR OTHERS AND CONNECTING WITH THEM IN THIS WAY, WHERE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, IS RATHER NATURAL TO THEM AND NOW, THEY ARE DOING THAT TO POST AND CONNECT AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN, AND SO, THE SAME THING WITH BRANDS.

I THINK IT IS THAT BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND SORT OF SAY HERE IS MY CHILD BECAUSE I'M USED TO THIS BEHAVIOR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE ALWAYS DONE, AND, BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE BRAND IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT EASY, THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND THROUGH DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA, REALLY JUST KIND OF GIVES A PRACTICE THAT IS FAMILIAR OF A DIFFERENT CONTEXT NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN INSTEAD OF MAYBE ONE'S SELF AND BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH A BRAND, IT IS EASY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> AND MEETING WITH BOTH OF YOU PRIOR TO THIS SHOW, I THINK THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL PLAN FOR FAMILIES.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH POSTING PICTURES OF YOUR CHILD ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

EVERY FAMILY IS DIFFERENT.

BUT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS, PR IA, THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF BEFORE HITTING THAT POST BUTTON?

>> YEAH, SO I'M THINKING BACK TO INTERVIEWS THAT I DID WITH, I INTERVIEWED NEW MOTHERS AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES INTERVIEWED FATHERS ABOUT HOW THEYFATED THIS.

AND SOMETHING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME, WAS -- AND I WAS INTERZOO VIEWING NEW MOTHERS SO THEY HAD VERY YOUNG CHILDREN AND WHAT STOOD OUT IS SOME OF THEM HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BEFORE THEY HAD THE BABY, AND, HAD COMMUNICATED THEIR PREFERENCES OR THEY SORT OF WITH THEIR PARTNERS THOUGHT, HOW DO WE WANT TO APPROACH THIS WHOLE IDEA OF POSTING OUR CHILD.

AND THEN WHEN THEY MADE A DECISION, SENT AN EMAIL BLIND OR FAMILY AND SAID, WE'RE NOT POSTING OR, HERE ARE THE KINDS OF DECLINEDS THAT WE WANT TO FOLLOW WITH POSTING BUT IT WAS REALLY STRUCK ME, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT I INTERVIEWED WHO HAD NOT REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS UNTIL AFTER THEIR CHILD WAS BORN.

AND THEN, SOMETHING HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ELSE POSTED A PICTURE AND THE PARENT DID NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

OR, THEY JUST KIND OF THE NOTE HOW TO NAVIGATE IT AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE EXPECTING A CHILD, THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO THIS RECOGNIZING THAT THINGS MIGHT CHANGE ONCE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE CHILD BUT CERTAINLY, IF IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE AS A FAMILY, WHAT'S THE ROLE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS IN OUR LIFE, WHAT KINDS OF WAYS DO WE WANT TO BE USING IT, CERTAINLY THINKING ABOUT THAT FOR YOURSELF, TALKING ABOUT IT YOUR PARTNER OR CO-PARENT BUT THEN, DEFINITELY INVOLVING THE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, IN THIS WHOLE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, AND REALLY MAKING IT SOMETHING ABOUT HOW DOES SOCIAL MEDIA FIT INTO OUR FAMILY RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, EXPERTS SAY THAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL THING.

>> ALEXA, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD?

>> I THINK IN TERMS OF SHARENTING CONTENT ABOUT OUR CHILDREN ONLINE, IT IS THE NEW NORMAL.

PEOPLE SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENS AT THE AS A PART OF SOCIETY AND A WAY TO DIGITIZE AND MORE EASILY SHARE INFORMATION THAN IN THE OLD PHOTO BOOKS THAT WERE IN THE ATTIC AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY STEP BACK AND SAY, DO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FULL IMPACT IS OF THIS DECISION, AND, IS IT SOMETHING THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO POST THIS INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SO I THINK MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL EDUCATED ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER BEFORE POSTING, SO THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE MAKING THE BEST DECISION.

>> SHARING PHOTOS AND INFORMATION HAS LED TO SOME REAL WORLD PROBLEMS AND CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS THAT HAVING EMERGE SINCE PARENTS HAVE BEGUN SHARING THE CHILDREN DATA AND IMAGES ONLINE?

>> YEAH, ONE OF THE, AS WE MENTIONED ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS THAT YOU JUST HAVE LESS CONTROL OVER WHERE YOUR INFORMATION GOES SO BOTH IN THE INTERVIEWS THAT I HAVE DONE WITH FAMILIES BUT ALSO THE ANALYSES THAT I HAVE DONE ON NEWS ARTICLES AND RESEARCH ARTICLES ON THE TOPIC.

SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP A LOT IS, OR ON A BLOG, AND, THEN, LO AND BEHOLD SOMEONE SOMEWHERE COPIED THAT IMAGE AND SOMETIMES, POSTED IT AS IF IT WAS THEIR OWN CHILD.

OR, POSTED IT AND SORT OF PUT IT IN AN ADVERTISEMENT SOMEWHERE AND SO PARENTS HAVE BEEN REALLY SURPRISED AND UPSET AND SHOCKED AND FRUSTRATED BY THIS, AND, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE, IT IS LIKE SOMEBODY TOOK SOMETHING OF YOURS AND WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR PERMISSION, AND THAT IS VERY FRUSTRATING.

AND, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SORT OF THINK THROUGH THE FACT THAT THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT ALSO, FOR US TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WE AS INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT AND, YOU HAVE NOT DONE, PARENTS HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING WRONG NECESSARILY BY POSTING, WHAT IS FRUSTRATING IS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SORT OF DOING SOMETHING UNETHICAL HERE.

>> THEY ARE EXPECTING THAT THEY ARE THE FULL CONTROLLERS OF THAT INFORMATION.

AND TO HER POINT, THERE MAY BE OTHER PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS OR TAKE DIFFERENT ACTIONS WITH THAT INFORMATION.

EVEN SOMETHING AS SMALL AS, OR WHAT YOU WOULD THINK MAYBE NORMALLY AS TAKING A SCREEN SHOT OF A PHOTO POSTED AND THEN, BEING ABLE TO USE THAT SCREEN SHOT ELSEWHERE, WHETHER IT IS SOMEWHERE ELSE ONLINE OR WHETHER IT IS EVEN JUST SHARING IT IN A TEXT MESSAGE OR SHOWING IT TO SOMEBODY ON YOUR PHONE, THOSE ARE ALL MAYBE UNEXPECTED WAYS THAT THE INFORMATION COULD GET SHARED, IN ADDITION TO SOMEONE ELSE POSTING IT OR SHARING IT THEMSELVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND, I HAVE ALSO HAD SOME DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE WHERE, THEY HAVE EXPRESSED HAVING THAT HAPPEN, AND IT IS UNEXPECTED AND THEY ARE TAKEN ABACK AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT.

SHOULD THEY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON?

SHOULD THEY MAKE SOME SORT OF GENERAL GUIDELINES, ANY TIME SOMEONE TAKES A PHOTO AND IT MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO REALLY WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE SORT OF SAY, IT IS TOO MUCH, I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO REALLY HANDLE THIS SO I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED WORRY ABOUT AND IT BECOMES OVERWHELMING, I THINK IT CAN BE EASILY SOMETHING THAT BECOMES OVERWHELMING WHEN PEOPLE START TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CONTENT COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED UNEXPECTEDLY.

>> AND YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT.

WHAT IS THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT AND HOW CAN PARENTS THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FOOTPRINTS THEY ARE LEAVING BEHIND FOR THEIR CHILDREN?

>> YEAH, SO, THE IDEA OF THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT IS WE GO ABOUT OUR DAY, WE TYPE THINGS INTO SEARCH ENGINES AND POST THINGS ONLINE, AND, ALL OF THESE LITTLE PIECES OF THAT DATA ARE KIND OF LIKE BREAD CRUMBS THAT COME TOGETHER TO FORM A DIGITAL IDENTITY OR FOOTPRINT AND SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, YOU KNOW THAT COME UP A LOT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PARENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA IS THIS IDEA OF HOW THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES WHAT YOU POST KIND OF CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR CHILD'S DIGITAL FOOTPRINT.

AND, THIS IS ALSO WHERE I THINK THAT, CONVERSATIONS CAN COME IN HANDY, AND, TALKING WITH CHILDREN, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T DO THAT WHEN THEY ARE INFANTS BUT THEY TALK AND RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES AS INDIVIDUALs WHICH STARTS TO HAPPEN CAN, HAPPEN AROUND SORT OF LIKE, FOUR TO SIX, THAT AGE RANGE, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GO GOING ONLINE.

WHAT KINDS OF -- HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT THINGS REFLECTING ON THEM AND IT CAN BE A VALUABLE WAY FOR PARENTS EVEN EARLY ON TO BEGIN THINKING ABOUT MANAGING A CHILD'S'S DIGITAL FOOT PRINT BUT HAVING THAT FUNDAMENTALLY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILD ARE DOING TOGETHER.

BECAUSE, JUST LIKE IT IS HELPING THEM TO LEARN ABOUT NAVIGATING THE WORLD BECAUSE ONE DAY, THEY'LL HAVE TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN AND EARLIER THAN MANY PARENTS LIKE TO ADD A MITT, CHILDREN WILL BE USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND CREATING THEIR OWN DIGITAL FOOT PRINT.

PARENTS HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS IDEA OF MANAGING CHILDREN'S DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS AS EARLY AS YOU CAN SEEING IT THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE DOING TOGETHER WITH CHILDREN ALWAYS WITH THIS IDEA THAT, THEY ARE EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE MANAGING THEIR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT BUT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS CONTRIBUTING AND THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD THAT ALEXA MENTIONED ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STAKE HOLD HERS.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE, PARENTS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES CONTRIBUTING.

THERE ARE SCHOOLS AND COACHES, AND SO THIS IS ALWAYS SORT OF SHARED PROJECT.

>> WE'LL TALK ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS A LITTLE MORE AS THE EVENING GOES ON.

BUT, IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US, THIS IS CONVERSATIONS LIVE.

AND JOINING US ARE I'M BILL HALLMAN' AND THIS IS "CONVERSATIONS LIVE: SHARENTING" ON WPSU.

JOINING US TONIGHT ARE Dr. PRIYA KUMAR FROM PENN STATE, AND Dr. ALEXA FOX FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON.

OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242, AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN ALSO SEND US QUESTIONS BY EMAIL AT CONNECT AT WPSU.ORG.

AND PR YA, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS EPISODE I READ SOMETHING THAT YOU WROTE ABOUT THE DIGIT AT WAKE.

THAT'S A GREAT METAPHOR TO EXPAND ON THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE DIGITAL WAKE AND WHY THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS?

>> YEAH, NO, THANKS, BILL.

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE IN SOME WAYS, I THINK THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT METAPHOR OF INCH IMAGINE CAN BE HITCHING BECAUSE IT PORTRAYS THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT AS COMPRISED OF THESE DES CRETE PIECES OF INFORMATION AND, IT DOES SORT OF MAKE US THINK THAT WHILE AS LONG AS I UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE PIECES FIT TOGETHER, MAYBE I CAN CONTROL HOW THEY REPRESENT ME.

BUT IN REALITY, THERE IS A LOT THAT WE DON'T CONTROL ABOUT HOW OUR INFORMATION GETS GENERATED AND HOW IT GET USED, AND SO INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT DISCREET PIECES OF IDEA, THIS COMES ABOUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF DATA FLOWS AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, I DEVELOPED THIS IDEA WITH AN UN THAT AND KELLY PENDER CONTRAST AND HOW DO WE GO BEYOND THIS.

AND WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF DATA FLOWS SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT, THE WAY THAT WATER MOVES OR LIQUID IN GENERAL, WE IMPLICITLY RECOGNIZE IT IS MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL FLOWS.

AND SO, IF WE THINK ABOUT A BOAT ON A LAKE, AND, THE FACT THAT SORT OF YES, YOU CAN CONTROL WHERE THE BOAT GOES, AND WHAT DIRECTION THAT YOU MOVE IN BUT YOUR BOAT IS ALWAYS LEAVING BEHIND THIS WAKE AND THERE IS THIS SENSE OF YOU CAN'T OPT OUT OF AND IT IT IS TRUE.

FOR MANY OF US, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ARE THE WAY WE MOVE ABOUT THE WORLD AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE TO USE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES SO WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE GENERATING THIS DATA, THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO ARE GOING TO BE GENERATING DATA.

AND, LEAVING THAT SORT OF WAKE BEHIND.

AND THERE IS THIS SENSE THAT WHAT YOU DO CAN AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO I THINK THAT, THINKING ABOUT THE IDEA OF A DIGITAL WAKE ALSO BEYOND GOING, IN ADDITION TO HELPING US TO GO BEYOND THIS IDEA OF CONTROL, IT ALSO HELPS US TO THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF OUR DIGITAL TRACES AS RELATION A SO AGAIN, IF I AM TO EXTEND THE METAPHOR IF I'M A BIG BOAT AND THERE IS LOTS OF SMALL BOATS AREN'T ME, I'M HOPEFULLY COGNIZANT WHEN I MOVE, I MIGHT BE KNOCKING THE BOATS OFF COURSE.

AND, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TRY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP THOSE BOATS ON COURSE.

BUT THERE IS THIS SENSE THAT WHAT WE DO AFFECTS OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO THAT IS WHERE I THINK IF WE THINK ABOUT OUR DATA, MORE LIKE FLOWS AND WE THINK ABOUT, OUR IMPACT MORE LIKE THIS DIGITAL WAKE, WE CAN GO BEYOND THIS CONTROL PARADIGM WHICH CAN BE LIMITING AND I THINK CAN LEAD TO THIS SENSE OF OVERWHELM, BECAUSE, IN REALITY WE DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH CONTROL THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T STOP USING THE INTERNET, IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT NEW WAYS OF APPROACHING THESE VERY FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING WHEN IT COMES TO INTERNET USE.

>> GREAT AND I THINK IT IS VERY HELPFUL METAPHOR FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE.

WE DO HAVE AN EMAIL QUESTION COMING IN, AND ROBERTA WRITE, DO YOU HAVE ENTRY THOUGHTS ON HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING PICK -- PICS AND VIDEO OF CHILDREN ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

ALEXA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT ONE FIRST?

>> SURE.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.

THROUGH MY RESEARCH WITH MYMANRY I CAN'T AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, WE PUBLISHED A PIECE IN THE JOURNAL OF PUBLIC POLICYMARKETTING AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED OUR INTERVIEWEES IS HOW THEY SET UP RULES FOR DOS AND DON'Ts AS FAR AS WHAT TO SHARE.

AND, AS FAR AS THINGS THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO SHARE, IT WAS THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER, PORTRAYING THE CHILD IN A POSITIVE WAY, THAT THEY ARE CUTE, FUNNY, MILESTONES FOR THE CHILD, ACTIVITIES DONE AS A FAMILY.

BUT, THEN ON THE OTHER HAND PEOPLE WERE VERY QUICK TO USUALLY TELL US WHAT THEY FOUND AS RULES FOR WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TOO MUCH, AND THIS WAS AGAIN BASED ON THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE DID, NUDITY WAS ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE.

ANYTHING THAT PORTRAYED EVEN PARTIAL NUDITY WAS CONSIDERED TO BE SOMETHING THEY DID NOT FEEL WAS APPROPRIATE.

ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE A CHILD LOOK PROVOCATIVE IN ANYWAY, AND WE ESPECIALLY HEARD THIS COMMENT RELATED TO GIRL, ANYONE WHO HAD A DAUGHTER AND ANYTHING THAT WOULD COMPROMISE THE MOTHER'S REPUTATION.

WE WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT MOTHERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND SO, ANY TYPE OF CONTENT WHERE EVEN THE MOTHER COULD POSSIBLY BE PORTRAYED AS NOT A GOOD MOTHER OR THAT SHE WAS IN ANY WAY BEING UNSAFE SO SOME SORT OF PRACTICE OR AN ACTIVITY WAS EVEN CONTROVERSIAL, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY WOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT POSTING AND ANOTHER WAS UNFLATTERING PHOTOS.

IN ANY WAY.

I EVEN SNAG COULD POSSIBLY BE TAKEN AS YOUR CHILD BEING PORTRAYED AS SAD, OR SOMETHING AS EMBARRASSING.

THEY WOULD BE EXAMPLES OF AGAIN, INFORMATION THAT OTHERS SHARED WITH US THAT WOULD BE RULES THEY WOULD PUT IN PLACE AS FAR AS CONTENT THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE APPROPRIATE ON SOCIAL MED GENTLEMAN.

>> AND PR IYA, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TOED AD.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THAT I I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT MORE IN TERMS OF SORT OF AMOUNT, AND, AGAIN IT IS IMPORTANT THERE IS NO CLEAR SET LINE AROUND WHAT BECOMES TOO MUCH AMOUNT WISE BUT THIS IS WHERE I THINK HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH BE REALLY HELPFUL SO OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS GOING TO DEPEND BASED ON THE AGE OF YOUR CHILD BUT, IF YOU'RE POSTING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND CHILD, WHAT DO YOUR CHILDREN THINK?

HOW MUCH DO THEY FEEL IS TOO MUCH?

WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE, SORT OF ASKING CLOSE FRIENDS OR EVEN YOUR OWN FAMILY, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING, DOES IT FEEL LIKE I'M POSTING TOO MUCH, THE MOTHERS THAT I INTERVIEWED ECHOED A LOT OF WHAT ALEXA WAS SAYING.

BUT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I WAS FOCUSED ON, SO, NEW MOTHERS AND THEY HAD NEWBORNS AND INFANTS AND THEY WERE VERY WORRIED ABOUT OVERSHARING AND POSTING TOO MUCH.

AND, ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY FOR THE BRAND NEW MOTHERS, THE FIRST-TIME MOTHER, IT WAS SUCH A PARENTHOOD MOTHERHOOD GIVING BIRTH SUCH A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE, AND, IT IS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF THEM SAID THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED EVEN IF THEY DID NOT WANT TO SHARE VERY MUCH, MANY FELT SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH THEY WANTED TO SHARE AFTER THE BABY WAS BORN.

BUT WANTING TO BE VERY COGNIZANT ABOUT NOT SHARING TOO MUCH.

YOU CAN'T ASK THE NEWBORN IF THEY THINK IT IS TOO MUCH BUT THEN, THAT IS WHERE LEANING ON YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR GETTING THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON DO YOU FEEL LIKE I'M SHARING TOO MUCH BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CHILD'S DIGITAL FOOTPRINT OR THE DIGITAL WAKE IF YOU WILL, ASKING THEM WHAT DO THEY THINK IT IS TOO MUCH.

YOUR SIX-YEAR-OLD MIGHT LOVE THAT YOU POST ABOUT THEIR KARA AT ATY COMPETITION BUT YOUR 16-YEAR-OLD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO POST AT ALL SO THE CONVERSATION WILL CHANGE AND THE LINE OF TOO MUCH WILL BE MOVING.

>> I'M CURIOUS, THROUGH YOUR RESEARCH, AS YOU TALKED TO MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND PARENTS, HAS THERE BEEN A SHIFT IN HOW PARENTS THINK ABOUT SHARING, SO, I'M ASSUMING, AND HAVING NOT DONE ANY RESEARCH ON THIS, I'M ASSUMING THAT SOME PARENTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN NEW PARENTS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, WERE SHARING A LOT MORE.

WHEN DID THEY START TO BECOME CONCERNED ABOUT OVERSHARING.

WHEN DID THAT BECOME AN ISSUE FOR PARENTS?

>> I THINK THAT IT IS REALLY BEEN IN THE PAST FIVE TO 8 YEARS.

I DEFINITELY NOTICED A BUMP IN SORT OF THE 25 2015-2016 TIMEFRAME IN TERMS OF BOTH MEDIA AND PRESENT SEARCHER ATTENTION TO THIS TOPIC.

SO, I HAVE BEEN STUDYING PARENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE, SHARENTING FOR ABOUT A DECADE NOW, AND, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF WAS ON PEOPLE'S MINDS IN THE 2013-2014 RANGE BUT I NOTICED A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THAT 2015-2016 RANGE IN TERMS OF A LOT OF JOURNALISTS, RESEARCHS AND NEWS OUTLETS PICKING UP THIS TOPIC, AND IT IS CONTINUED EVER SINCE.

AND I THINK THAT, CERTAINLY, THIS ALIGNS WITH OUR BROADER PUBLIC RECOGNITION AND RECKONING WITH THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN EVERY DAY LIFE.

WE HAVE SEEN PRIVACY SCANDAL AFTER PRIVACY SCANDAL FROM FALL I THINK THE CAMBRIDGE ANALYTIC SCANDAL REALLY GALVANIZED PEOPLE TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF WHERE IS OUR DATA GOING AND O, WAIT, MAYBE I WAS USING FACEBOOK AS MY BABY ALBUM BUT NOW YOU'RE SAYING THIS DATA MIGHT BE USED FOR ALL OF THESE OTHER PURPOSES?

SO, THINK THAT I AS WE HAVE HAD SORT OF SOME BIG SOCIAL GRAPPLING WITH THE PROVENCAL OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PARENTS ARE MORE AWARE OF BUT I THINK THAT IT IS -- IT CAN STILL VERY VERY OVERWHELMING, PRECISELY BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA IS VERY COMMON WAY FOR US TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER.

>> AND, ALEXA, DID YOU NOTICE ANY TYPE OF SHIFTS IN YOUR RESEARCH IN PARENT ALTITUDES FROM DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS OF THE PAST DECADE OR SO?

>> YEAH, THAT I SHE MAKE AS GREAT POINTS AND INFORMATION TO KIND OF THE NEWS AND THE MEDIA REALLY BRINGING IT MORE TO ATTENTION AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STORIES THAT HAVE COME OUT, I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING IS JUST THE WAY THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED IN THE EARLY DAYS, OR EARLIER DAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL USING A DIGITAL CAMERA THAT WAS SEPARATE FROM THEIR PHONE.

AND, THAT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THEIR COMPUTER, TO UPLOAD PHOTOSSEN WITY THAT WAS TABLE TO HANDLE DOING THOSE ACTIVITY MORSE QUICKLY, DATA PLANS THAT WERE ALLOWING THEM TO DO THIS EVEN WHEN THEY WERE NOT AT HOME, I THINK THESE THINGS ALSO JUST NATURALLY KIND OF SPED UP OR MAYBE ACCELERATED SOME OF THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE WERE WANTING TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY OR EVEN ABLE TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THAT COULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WAY AND HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANTED TO SHARE.

>> AND IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US, I'M BILL HALLMAN' AND THIS IS "CONVERSATIONS LIVE: SHARENTING" ON WPSU.

JOINING US TONIGHT ARE Dr. PRIYA KUMAR FROM PENN STATE, AND Dr. ALEXA FOX FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON.

OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242, AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN ALSO SEND US QUESTIONS BY EMAIL AT CONNECT AT WPSU.ORG.

AND ROBERTO JUST SENT US A QUESTION.

BEFORE WE GET OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM A VIEWER, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO ALEXA AND YOU HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON HOW PARENTS INTERACT WITH BRANDS ONLINE.

WHAT SHOULD PARENTSBE AWARE OF WHEN THEY ARE INTERACTING WITH A BRAND ONLINE, AND, WHAT DOES INTERACTING WITH A BRAND ONLINE MEAN WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING CONTENT?

>> YEAH, A LOT OF MY RESEARCH REALLY DOES LOOK AT THIS IDEA OF HOW GENERALLY, CONSUMERS OR USERS OF THE INTERNET INTERACT WITH BRANDS, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND BECAUSE USERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ARE ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH COMPANIES WHO HAVE PUBLIC PAGES, AND, WANT TO IN MANY CASES, ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENT CUSTOMERS, POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, AND PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THEIR BRAND, THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, IN THE CONTEXT OF SHARENTING SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE BRANDS THAT SOMETIMES MAY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SHARE WHAT WE CALL USER GENERATED CONTENT.

SO CONTENT THAT PEOPLE CREATE, AND IN MANY CASES, THIS CONTENT MIGHT BE PHOTOS OR VIDEOS.

THIS IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF CONTENT THAT WE REFER TO WHEN WE SAY USER GENERATED CONTENT SO IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO AND LOTS OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE PHONES, THEY ALREADY HAVE PHOTOS OF THEIR CHILDREN AVAILABLE.

THIS KIND OF INFORMATION IS NOT EVEN SOMETHING THAT UPON REQUEST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO GENERATE RIGHT THEN.

THEY WOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE.

SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT ASK FOR THAT INFORMATION, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN A SWEEPSTAKES SO LIKE SEND US A PHOTO OF YOUR CHILD, ENJOYING OUR SNACK IF IT IS A FOOD BRAND, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND WE'LL ENTER YOU INTO A CONTEST IN WHICH YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO WIN A SIX-MONTH SUPPLY OF THAT SNACK OR SOMETHING ALONG THESE LINES AND SO, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE BRAND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT COMMENT IN A COMMENT ON A FACEBOOK POST, ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION, IN THAT CAMPAIGN, AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT THE PHOTO RIGHT THERE, POST THAT INFORMATION ON FACEBOOK OR RESPOND TO A TWEET OR POST IT ON INSTAGRAM WITH A PARTICULAR IN ORDER TO ENGAGE WITH THAT BRAND.

THE CHALLENGE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY THINK AREN'T PERHAPS THE BROADER AUDIENCE.

IT IS NOT JUST INTERACTING WITH THE BRAND, THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SEE THAT INFORMATION, THE BRAND MAY BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION DEPENDING ON KIND OF WHAT SOME OF THE RULES MIGHT BE IN PLACE AS FAR AS HOW THAT CONTENT CAN BE SHARED.

AND THEN, ALSO, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLY SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THEY ARE TALKING TO A BIGGER AUDIENCE, THEY WOULD JUST KIND OF THINK THAT THEY WERE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION MORE DIRECTLY WITH THE BRAND SINCE IT IS AN EASY WHAT YOU TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, AND THEY DON'T US A THINK ABOUT THE BROADER AUDIENCE THAT MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT CONTEND.

>> >> I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT COULD ALSO BE THE MOTIVATION FOR THESE TYPES OF CAMPAIGNS.

>> I THINK THAT USER GENERATED CONTENT IS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AS FAR AS PEOPLE WANT TO SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY.

THERE IS A LOT OF CREDIBILITY, AND TRUST THAT GOES INTO CONTENT THAT'S BEEN CREATED BY ANOTHER PERSON ABOUT A BRAND.

AND THE BRAND ITSELF.

AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR BRANDS TO WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CREATE AND SHARE THAT CONTENT SO THAT THEY COULD MAYBE ALSO AMPLIFY THAT CONTENT.

AGAIN THE CHALLENGE IS, ESPECIALLY ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT, YOU'RE ALSO PLAYING BY THE RULES OF THE PLATFORM THAT YOU'RE INTERACTING ON.

AND SO AS THE BRAND, YOU'RE ABIDING BY LET'S SAY, THE RULES OF FACEBOOK THAT META DESIGNED IN ORDER TO SAY THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO OPERATE A PUBLIC PAGE ON FACEBOOK.

BUT THEN THE BRAND MIGHT ALSO SAY, BY SHARING OUR INFORMATION, YOUR INFORMATION IN THIS WAY, HERE IS THE OTHER PLACES THAT IT COULD BE USED.

WE WOULD THEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAVE THIS PHOTO AND USE IT IN ANOTHER PLACE ONLINE OR, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LINK TO THAT INFORMATION ELSEWHERE.

OFTEN TIMES, BRANDS DO INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION BUT IT MIGHT BE VERY MUCH WRITTEN WITH LEGAL SPEAK IN MIND, AND IT MIGHT BE ON A WEB PAGE SOMEWHERE THAT YOU COULD LINK TO AND READ THROUGH.

IT WOULD LIKE BE A VERY LENGTHY WEB PAGE WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION AND IT IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CONSIDER AND REALLY READ THROUGH BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH THAT BRAND IN THAT WAY.

AND SO CERTAINLY, A BRAND MIGHT HAVE PUT THAT INFORMATION AND IT MIGHT BE ON A SEPARATE WEB PAGE OR BURIED IN THE PRIVACY POLICY.

AND, OUR CURRENT ECOSYSTEM, THE IDEA IS, WELL, PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO READ THESE PRIVACY POLICIES, BECAUSE THEY DO AGREE TO THEM WHEN THEY SIGN UP FOR PLATFORMS, OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SUBMIT SOMETHING IN RESPONSE TO A CONTEST, THERE IS THIS IMPLICIT RECOGNITION THAT YOU'RE AGREEING TO THE TERMS, BUT, WHO ACTUALLY READS THEM?

VERY FEW TO NOBODY ACTUALLY READS THESE AND IT IS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR CURRENT APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THIS IDEA OF WHAT HAPPENS TO INFORMATION IS TO PUT A LOT OF BURDEN ON INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE TO SAY, WELL, YOU SHOULD BE READING ALL OF THESE POLICIES AND MAKE AMONG INFORMED DECISION.

CERTAINLY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CORPORATE POLICIES ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.

BUT TO EXPECT AN EVERY DAY PERSON LET ALONE A HAIRIED MORE MOTHER TO BE READING THROUGH THE TERMS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONTEST IS PERHAPS NOT THE MOST REASONABLE SO WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH OTHER WAYS OF FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE APPROPRIATE USES OF DATA IS THERE ANY KIND OF FEDERAL REGULATION ON THIS?

IS IT JUST THE WILD WEST?

WHAT CAN BRANDS COLLECT FROM US WHEN WE'RE SHARING THINGS ONLINE?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK THAT I'LL LET ALEXA TAKE THAT ONE FIRST.

AND THEN SEE IF I -- ANYTHING ELSE.

>> THE THING TO REMEMBER IS WE'RE SHARING THAT INFORMATION THAT IT IS USUALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE AT LEAST IS THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE CHOOSING TO SHARE SO IN THE CASE OF LIKE, THESE CAMPAIGNS, FOR EXAMPLE, A IT MIGHT BE SPECIFIC TO HERE IS THIS PHOTO THAT IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED THE ENTRY INTO THIS CONTEST, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND, SO, I THINK THAT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF KEEP IN MIND THAT, THAT INTERACTION AND MOST CASES, SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEING PROVIDED THAT CONTEXT.

NOW, WHETHER OR NOT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, IT COULD BE AGAIN DESIGNED BY A PRODUCT OF THE PLATFORM, THAT THE INTERACTION IS HAPPENING ON, IT COULD BE A PRODUCT OF EXACTLY WHAT THE RULES STATED THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO EXTRACT OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU POSTED SOMETHING ON A TWITTER POST, IF YOU LET'S SAY RESPONDED TO A TWEET, WITH YOUR OWN TWEET AND THEN IT MIGHT BE EASY TO GO TO THAT PERSON'S TWITTER PROFILE, AND, GATHER OTHER INFORMATION AREN'T THEM, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHAT THE NAME IS, AND OTHER BASIC PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.

SO IT MAY REALLY DEPEND ON AGAIN THE PLATFORM AND KIND OF HOW EVERYTHING IS SET UP AND ALSO, IF THERE IS RULES IN PLACE THAT SAY, IT IS LIMITED TO WHAT YOU PROVIDE, VERSUS BEING ABLE TO, WHATEVER ELSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GATHER WOULD ALSO BE FAIR GAME.

SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY CONTEST DEDE PENDENT.

>> WE HAVE AN EMAIL QUESTION, AN INTERESTING ONE AND JACK WRITES IN, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL PLAY IN SHARENTING AS IT BECOME MORSE EMBEDDED IN TECHNOLOGY AND YOU SEEM TO GET A LITTLE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION, AND I HAVE NO IDEA.

>> IT IS A GOOD YES.

AND IT REMINDS ME OF SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I AND OTHER COLLABORATORS HAVE PROPOSED IN SOME OF THE DESIGN RESEARCH THAT THEY HAVE DONE.

SO, WAYS THAT ACTUALLY AI TOOLS AND AI DEVELOPED TOOLS COULD HELP HERE, SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT, PARENTS POSTING ON A PLATFORM LIKE FACEBOOK, AI TOOLS JUST SORT OF, AND THERE ARE TOOLS THAT DO SOME OF THIS, PERHAPS THERE ARE AI TOOLS THAT COULD INFER THE PRESENCE OF A CHILD AND SORT OF PROMPT OR ASK A PARENT, LIKE, ARE YOU JUST DOUBLE CHECKING DO YOU WANT TO POST THIS?

FACEBOOK ACTUALLY DID HAVE A FEATURE A FEW YEARS AGO AND I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW, THIS WAS CALLED SCRAPBOOK THAT YOU AND A PARTNER COULD UPLOAD PICTURE ASKS TAG THEM AND THEY WOULD BE WAITING THERE FOR THE CHILD WHEN THEY CREATED THEIR FACEBOOK PROFILE SO KIND OF YOU COULD BUILD, SET UP CONTROLS TO KIND OF TRY TO MANAGE THE VISIBILITY UNTIL A CHILD GETS A LITTLE BIT OLDER AND CAN MAKE DECISIONS.

THERE IS ALSO SUGGESTIONS ABOUT TOOLS THAT COULD SORT OF LEARN A PARENT'S POSTING STYLE, AND THEN, SORT OF MAKE SUGGESTION ABOUT LIKE, ARE YOU OKAY POSTING THIS, MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO POST THIS OR SORT OF INFERRING CERTAIN KINDS OF PHOTOS LIKE WHAT ALEXA MENTIONED AND THINGS LIKE, SWIM SUIT OR BATH THAT A LOT OF THE PARENTS THAT I TALKED TO FEEL HESITANT ABOUT POSTING AND YOU COULD HAVE TOOLS THAT SORT OF COULD DETECT POTENTIALLY, IF A PHOTO IS LIKE THAT, AND THEN AGAIN, KIND OF PROMPTING A PARENT, JUST DOUBLE CHECKING DOCUMENT TO POST THIS.

THE PLATFORMS COULD DEVELOP TO TRY AND PROMPT SOME OF THIS, THINKING AMONG PARENTS.

SO THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND BUT I IMAGINE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER KINDS OF TOOLS THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS.

>> I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING WHERE, WHEN YOU HIT THE POST BUTTON IN AN AI FELT WORE POST UP AND STAY THIS COULD BE VIEWABLE BUT THESE AUDIENCES AND JUST TO CONFIRM THAT FOR YOU THAT COULD BE A USEFUL TOOL.

ALEXA, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD PLAY A ROLE IN THIS AREA?

>> IT IS A GREATS QUESTION AND HOT TOPIC IN SO MANY AREA, NOT JUST THIS ONE.

AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT SINCE WE HAD JUST KIND GOT INTO SOME OF THE SWIM SUIT PHOTOS, THE BATH PHOTOS FOR YOUNG KIDS ESPECIALLY, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THINGS, AND INCREASE NOT JUST WITH CHILDREN NECESSARILY BUT JUST IN GENERAL, A RISE IN REALLY SCARY DARK SORT OF THINGS ON THE INTERNET, DEEP FAKE PORN OLDFY WHERE WE'RE SEEING USERS TAKE, USE AI TO COMBINE IMAGES AND VIDEOS SO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE FACE IS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER BODY.

AND, WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THIS HAPPEN WHERE, SOMEONE'S FACE IS SUDDENLY ON SOME SORT OF BODY THAT THERE IS NOT NECESSARILY, IT IS NOT REAL, IT IS NOT TRUE, IT IS NOT ACTUALLY A REPRESENTATION OF THAT PERSON.

AND SO, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE POTENTIALLY SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAYBE BE OVERCOME WITH SOME OF THESE, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS.

JUST RECENTLY, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, WHICH IS KIND OF THE LARGEST CHILD PROTECTION ORGANIZATION IN THE U.S., JUST CREATED A RESOURCE CALLED TAKE IT DOWN.

AND, IT IS A FREE SERVICE THAT THEY ARE OFFERING, IT IS REALLY INTERESTING, HELPING A PERSON REMOVE ONLINE SHARING AND STOPPING ONLINE SHARING OF NUDE CONTENT OR PARTIALLY NUDE CONTENT OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT TYPE IMAGES, CON THAT HE WANT WAS MAYBE TAKEN OF YOU AS A CHILD AND PUT IN SOME WAY THAT WAS UNEXPECTED OR INAPPROPRIATE.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING AND USEFUL SERVICE THAT WITH THE RISE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES NOT BEING USED FOR ANY GOOD PURPOSE COULD ALSO BE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DO HAVE A WAY TO KIND OF COMBAT SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND, AGAIN SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SHARED INNOCENTLY THAT IT COULD TAKE A TURN, AND THAT THERE ARE WAYS NOW THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO AND CHALLENGE SOME OF THAT AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT SOME OF THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

AND THANK YOU FOR WRITING IN LET'S TALK A BIT ABOUT BALANCE.

WE MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE CONVERSATION, THAT, SOCIAL MEDIA IS A USEFUL TOOL BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW PARENTS CAN SOMETIMES OVERDO IT WITHOUT REALLY CONSIDERING IT.

BUT HOW DO PARENTS EFFECTIVELY BALANCE THAT DESIRE TO SHARE THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE RELATIVES THAT LIVE IN ANOTHER STATE OR ANOTHER COUNTRY, WITH THAT DESIRE TO ALSO KEEP THE CHILDREN'S LIVES PRIVATE.

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT, WE CAN SOMETIMES TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE COLLECTIVE AND CERTAINLY WE'VE MENTIONED SOME SPECIFIC PLATFORMS FACEBOOK AND STAIN GRAM BUT DISAGGREGATING SOCIAL MEDIA INTO THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLATFORMS CAN HELP PARENTS THINK THROUGH THIS, SO, I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO THINK ABOUT, WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF SHARING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

IS IT TO KEEP YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY UP TO DATE WHICH CERTAINLY HAS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR A LONG TIME AND OBVIOUSLY BECAME VERY IMPORTANT ONCE WE WERE ALL ON LOCKDOWN, I COULDN'T SEE PEOPLE PHYSICALLY.

AND COULDN'T SEE PEOPLE PHYSICALLY.

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE A SPECIAL NEEDS CONDITION OR SOMETHING WHERE YOU WANT TO SORT OF SHARE THEIR STORY AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM.

BECAUSE THAT WOULD INVOLVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHARING.

ARE YOU AN INFLUENCER WHO IS SHARING, YOU KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT AND THAT -- YOUR MOTIVATION AND THINKING ABOUT GETTING OUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP UP TO FORM THE PLATFORM.

IF IT IS KEEPING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY UP TO DATE, THE MAINSTREAM SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS DON'T HAVE TO BE WHERE YOU CAN DO THAT YOU SHARE IN PRIVATE DROP BOX FOLDERS OR GOOGLE OR KIND OF AN APPLE GROUP SO MORE KIND OF, PLATFORMS THAT ARE ORIENTED TOWARD PHOTO SHARING, FOR SMALLER GROUPS.

MANY WOMEN HAD THE MAIN PROFILE PROGRAM BUT WOULD CREATE A SMALL INSTAGRAM PAGE AND A SMALLER GROUP OF FRIENDS AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD SHARE.

SO, I THINK THAT THINKING THROUGH WHAT YOUR GOAL IS, AND, HOW CAN YOU -- WHAT PLATFORMS CAN YOU USE TO MEET THAT GOAL, AND THEN, WHICH PLATFORMS DO YOU TRUST BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE SORT OF, ON FACEBOOK BUT YOU HAVE THE INSTAGRAM, WHILE IF FACEBOOK ACCESS TO DATA IS YOUR CONCERN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY HELP THERE BECAUSE INSTAGRAM IS OWNED BY LET ME THAT, THE PARENT COMPANY.

BUT, IF YOU ARE FOCUSED MOSTLY ON, JUST SHARING THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND EVERYBODY IN YOUR FAMILY IS AN APPLE, HAS AN APPLE PRODUCT THEN MAYBE THAT PLATFORM CAN BE HELPFUL FOR YOU SO I THINK THAT CAN BE A WAY FOR PARENTS TO THINK THROUGH AND NAVIGATE ALL OF THIS AND REALLY, MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE ALIGN WITH THE VALUES BUT ALSO HELP THEM ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT THEY WANT TO THROUGH USING SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> AND I WANT TO GET YOUR RESPONSE.

BUT FIRST, IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US, I'M BILL HALLMAN' AND THIS IS "CONVERSATIONS LIVE: SHARENTING" ON WPSU.

JOINING US TONIGHT ARE Dr. PRIYA KUMAR FROM PENN STATE, AND Dr. ALEXA FOX FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON.

OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242, AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN ALSO SEND US QUESTIONS BY EMAIL AT CONNECT AT WPSU.ORG.

SO YOUR THOUGHTS ON MANAGING THAT RISK REWARD BETWEEN PARENTS WHO WANT TO SHARE THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN IN SOME WAY.

>> AGAIN, I THINK IT ALL COMES BACK TO PARENTS TRULY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO USE THESE PLATFORMS, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION.

IT IS DEFINITELY EASY TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND HOW INSTAGRAM WORKS AND I KNOW HOW TO POST PHOTOS AND I KNOW HOW TO UPDATE MY STORIES, AND I KNOW HOW TO CONSUME CONTENT AND TO THINK THAT YOU REALLY HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT.

BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO MAYBE HAVE THAT DATA PUT OUT THERE SO TO SPEAK ON INSTAGRAM, WHAT IT DOES KNOWN TO HAVE A PUBLIC VERSUS A PRIVATE PROFILE, ARE THERE STILL LIMIT LIMITATIONS OF A PRIVATE PROFILE, AND, FEELING COMFORTABLE WITH THAT INFORMATION AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING IT.

NOW, SOMETIMES IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT EASY AND OF COURSE THEY DON'T NECESSARILY PUBLICIZE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE ALGORITHM OR THE WAY THINGS WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, SO, FEELING THAT YOU ABLE TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN AND STAY UP TO DATE ON THAT INFORMATION, I THINK THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, TOO.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES AND WHAT ROLE CAN THEY PLAY, IN PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE SHARENTING PRACTICES?

ARE THEY EVEN CONSIDERING THESE THINGS NOW, AND YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME ARE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT IT BUT HOW CAN SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES HELP PARENTS WITH THIS.

>> YEAH, THAT'S A TIMELY QUESTION.

THERE HAS BEEN AGAIN INCREASING PUBLIC SCRUTINY OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND THE EFFECT THEY HAVE ON CHILDREN.

I THINK A LOT OF ATTENTION FOCUSED ON CHILDREN USING THE TECHNOLOGIES, LESS SO ON SORT OF PARENTS CONTRIBUTING, BUT, THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, INCORPORATING DESIGN FEATURES THAT HELP PARENTS MAKE THESE DECISIONS, THAT CAN SORT OF PROMPT THEM TO THINK ABOUT THIS MORE IN THE MOMENT, RATHER THAN JUST AT THE TIME OF SIGNING UP FOR A PLATFORM CAN BE HELPFUL.

BUT, ULTIMATELY, CHANGES LIKE THAT WILL HAVE TO -- CHANGES LIKE THAT WOULD INTRODUCE FRICTION IN THE USER EXPERIENCE, AND, A LOT TRY TO MAKE THEMSELVES AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.

AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR IS A USER TO POSITION CONTENT, AND, FOR THEM TO POST A LOT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHAT DRIVES ENGAGEMENT ON THE PLATFORM.

AND SO, I THINK THAT, IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE A MENTAL SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT KIND OF FOCUS ON ATTRACTING AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT AS POSSIBLE, AND INSTEAD, TOWARD WHAT DOES MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE AND, RECOGNIZING THAT ENGAGEMENT FOR ENGAGEMENT SAKE IS NOT HEALTHY FOR ANYBODY, OUR SOCIAL ECOSYSTEM BUT IT IS GOING HAVE TO REQUIRE THEM TO START OF CHANGE THAT PERSPECTIVE.

>> THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT BEING?

>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TIKTOK C.E.O.

GOT GRILLED IN CONGRESS TODAY, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TIKTOK AND CHILDREN, SO, I THINK THAT THERE IS CERTAINLY A DESIRE AMONG MANY STAKEHOLDERS AND, SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ARE STARTING TO FEEL A LOT OF PRESSURE IN TERMS OF HAVING TO THINK THROUGH SOME OF THESE THINGS.

SO, WE MIGHT BE CLOSER THAN WE THINK BUT ALSO, THESE ARE COMPLICATED AND CAN GET SOMEWHAT HOT BUTTON ISSUES.

>> IT COULD TAKE A HEAVY HAND.

ALEX SACK WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT.

>> WHAT CAN DO YOU TO HELP YOUR CHILD AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS FAR AS FOCUSING ON CHILDREN ONLINE PRIVACY AS FAR AS THE ACTION A CHILD IS TAKING AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SOCIAL MEDICAL COMPANIES ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SEPARATE CHILDREN ONLINE PRIVACY RELATED ISSUE, ABOUT ADULTS AND THEIR ACTIONS AND SHOW THAT CAN ALSO AFFECT THINGS.

SO, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF LAWS NOW COME OUT WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CURRENT CHILDREN ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT, ONE OF THE PUSHES IS THAT, PERHAPS WE SHOULD RAISE THE AGE OF PROTECTION FROM 13 TO 16 TO ENCOMPASS MORE TEENAGE YEARS.

AND, THESE ARE ALL VERY INTERESTING AND USEFUL TYPES OF WAYS THAT WE MIGHT PURSUE CHILDREN ONLINE PRIVACY.

I THINK THIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE HERE IS THAT, AGAIN, IF WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT JUST THE MINOR USER EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO, OTHERS ACTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THOSE MINORS AND WHAT THE USER EXPERIENCE WOULD BE LIKE TOO, THEN, WE'RE STILL MISSING A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES AND THE WAY THEY ENCOURAGE USERS OF THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, TO ENGAGE AND BEHAVE I THINK IS THAT PIECE IS STILL MISSING THERE AND IT IS GOING TO NEED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR AS WELL.

>> MY QUESTION OR I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ADDRESSED IS THE ISSUE OF PEOPLE SHARING INFORMATION AND PICTURES OF OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN.

>> >> THIS CAME UP INTERVIEWS THAT MOTHERS FOR EXAMPLE WITH ONE WOMAN DID NOT POST REALLY HER CHILD BUT HER MOM, POSTED THE VERY FIRST BATH OF THE CHILD.

SO SHE DID NOT WANT NAKED PICTURES OF HER CHILD BUT SHE WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HONOR MY MOM'S DECISION.

FOUND HER BABY SITTER POSTED PICTURES THE CHILDREN.

HER AND HER HUSBAND FOUGHT AND ULTIMATELY THEY DECIDED NO TOT SAY ANYTHING, THEY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, SHE DID THAT OUT OF LOVE, SHE LOVES OUR KIDS AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PERSON TAKING CARE OF OUR KIDS SO WE'LL LET THIS ONE SLIDE.

AND SO I THINK THAT, WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER IT IS YOUR OWN RELATIVE OR YOUR FRIENDS, THINKING THROUGH THIS AND THEN THINKING THROUGH CERTAINLY DO YOU WANT TO GO AND TALK TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO TAKE IT DOWN, I HAD ANOTHER PARTICIPANT WHO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW KEPT POSTING THE CHILD'S PICTURE AND NAME AND SHE DID HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, AND SHE SAID BEFORE, WE DON'T WANT THIS AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW KEPT DOING IT SO SHE DID GO AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT REALLY OKAY WITH THERE AND HAD THAT CONVERSATION.

SO, THINK THAT I, THIS IS WHY I THINK THAT IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE A CHILD IS BORN OR BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WE DON'T LIKE TO POST OUR KIDS SO IF WE'RE AT A PARTY, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT AND IT GIVE US SOMETHING TO GO BACK TO IF THEY DO OR IF IT HAPPENS, IF IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON, BUT ALSO, THINK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS IN THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THE RELATIONSHIP.

AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS SHARING IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR EVERY DAY LIVES.

AND SO, SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO LET THINGS SLIDE.

>> I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE ON THE RESPOND TO SALLY'S QUESTION.

>> I THINK THAT, YOU MAKE A LOT OF GREAT POINTS.

I THINK THAT, THROUGH SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH MOTHERS AND OUR RESEARCH, MANY OF THEM SHARED, I WOULDN'T WANT TO VIOLATE ANOTHER MOTHER'S PREFERENCES FOR POSTING SO EVEN IF I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT SAME LEVEL, MAYBE THEY TO END BE A BIT MORE STRICT, I WOULDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY VIOLATE THAT SO I THINK THAT, EVEN IN A SETTING WHERE YOU KNOW A PHOTO IS BEING TAKEN, AND, YOU MIGHT EVEN JUST SORT OF SAY, JUST SO YOU KNOW WE DON'T POST TOS OF OUR CHILDREN ON FACEBOOK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, FOLLOW THAT AS WELL WE'D APPRECIATE IT SO SOMETIMES BEING PROACTIVE IF YOU SENSE THAT MAYBE A PERSON WHO YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH OR SOMEONE PART OF YOUR LIFE MIGHT KIND OF HAVE THAT, THEN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT THE ACTION AFTERWARDS, AND OF COURSE THAT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE.

SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, HOW IT IS GOING TO BE POSTED AND WHAT THAT INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE.

AND I THINK THAT, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, AND ACTUALLY GO OUT AND MAKE AN IT A PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP, POLITELY INDICATING THAT YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT PER YOUR OWN RULES AND HOW YOU ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS FAR AS YOUR CHILDREN GO, IS APPROPRIATE IF THAT'SING.

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU.

>> TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

MY CHILDREN ARE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THE TEACHERS HAVE PRIVATE FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE CLASS AND POST PICTURES THE CHILDREN THE AND IT IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO SEE THINGS HAPPEN DRUG THE DAY AND HOW OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING LOO WITH EACH OTHER.

GREAT MOMENTS THAT WE WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO SEE.

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS SHOULD PARENTSBE SKEG ASKING OF THE SCHOOLS BEFORE -- ASKING OF THE SCHOOL BEFORE ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN OR PICTURES TO BE POSTED TO A SCHOOL FACEBOOK PAGE OR A GROUP.

>> YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION.

AND, AGAIN, THE CURRENT APPROACH OFTEN TO DEALING WITH THIS, IS SCHOOLS WILL SEND HOME A WHOLE BUNCH OF FORMS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND PARENTS HAVE TO SIGN THEM AND OFTEN ONE OF THEM IS SOME KIND OF CONSENT FORM OR RELATED TO THIS IDEA OF POSTING, WHETHER IT IS ON SORT OF A SCHOOL PRIVATE FACEBOOK PAGE OR CLASSROOM FACEBOOK PAGE OR ON A SCHOOL WEBSITE, AND SO CERTAINLY, KNOWING THAT, SEEING THAT FORM AND SIGNING IT BUT THIS IS WHERE AGAIN, THE SORT OF LEGALISTIC FORM SIGNING APPROACH IS IMPORTANT, BUT HAVING THE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS WHETHER IT IS WITH THE TEACHER OR AN ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SCHOOL, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUTING TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHY DO THEY HAVE THIS, WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE STUDENT DATA AND USING THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT, WHAT YOUR CHILD MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON IF YOU DON'T SIGN THE FORM.

SO I HAVE DONE INTERVIEWS ALSO WITH TEACHERS AND WITH LIBRARIANS, AND, THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT PARENTS WHO VERY UNDERSTANDABLY SAID, I DON'T WANT MY SCHOOL TO BE TAKING PHOTOS OF THE CHILD OR POSTING THEM BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THE STUDENTS WOULD GO ON A FIELD TRIP OR BE IN A CLASS ACTIVITY AND THEN TEACH VERSE TO PULL THE CHILD OUT OF THE GROUP BECAUSE THEY SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ASSIGNED FORM FOR YOU.

AND, THAT CAN BE REALLY CONFUSING AND EVEN HURTFUL LIKE A CHILD COULD GET CONFUSED OR UPSET BY THAT AND SO I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO TALK TO THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THIS CASE, BUT, ALSO, AGAIN, INVOLVE YOUR CHILD IN THIS.

ULTIMATELY OF COURSE PARENTS ARE THE DECISION MAKERS AND YOUR NAME IS THE ONE THAT GOES ON THE FORM BUT, AGAIN, THINK THROUGH WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF I DO SIGN THIS BUT ALSO, IF I DON'T.

AND, GET YOUR CHILD'S INPUT AND SEE, BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DON'T -- MAYBE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SAY I DON'T WANT MY PICTURE ONLINE AND I'M OKAY STEPPING OUT OF PHOTO.

OR I'M FINE HIDING BEHIND SOMEONE ELSE BUT AGAIN, BRINGING THE CHILDREN INTO THERE TO GET A SENSE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF ANY SORT OF DECISION MIGHT BE.

>> OKAY, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT ADVICE AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH Dr. ALEXA FOX.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SPRING GARDENING ON OUR NEXT EPISODE.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND I'M SURE YOU ARE AS WELL.

FROM ALL OF US AT WPSU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.