Parents posting content that shows a child crying, worried, scared or surprised is called parental trolling, a form of cyberbullying, warn researchers of this phenomenon, drawing attention to the possible effects of common online behaviours.
Researchers from the Institute of Pedagogy of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian University, led by Zuzanna Sura, PhD, looked at harmful forms of sharenting, i.e. publishing information about one's children, primarily sharing photos and videos from different periods of their lives. The researchers note that so-called parental trolling is becoming increasingly common. It concerns content that presents a child in embarrassing situations, compromising them, deliberately humiliating them or documenting their difficult situation, e.g. when they cry, are worried, scared or surprised.
'Parental trolling is a form of cyberbullying. Parents who share such photos and videos probably treat them as funny, not paying attention to the consequences of posting a child's image online', says Zuzanna Sury from the Jagiellonian University.
The researchers point out that in such a moment the child is ridiculed instead of receiving support he or she needs.
The team analysed seven videos posted on TikTok by parents of children under 3 years of age. They took part in 'challenges' that involved posting videos showing scenes that embarrass or ridicule the child. The children's reactions, based on fear and confusion, are juxtaposed in these videos with adult laughter and cheerful background music, e.g. from children's cartoons. The researchers investigated how the child is perceived by the authors and recipients of the analysed videos and what potential social effects this type of content may have.
'The direct and predicted effect of such a video is cyberbullying, which is particularly cruel, because the perpetrator is a parent who should create an atmosphere of safety for the child, but instead takes advantage of their helplessness', says Zuzanna Sury and adds that the effects of the analysed videos may also go beyond the child-parent relationship.
The researchers point to mechanisms that encourage gaining likes, shares and comments on videos showing violence against children. In their opinion, they make such behaviours begin to be perceived as typical, which may lead to their social normalisation.
'Videos with so-called parental trolling are watched by many people, including children and teenagers who will become parents in the future. They learn how to build relationships with their children through modelling and imitation. If children watch such videos, they can learn that children's boundaries can be violated without legal consequences for adults', Sury explains.
According to the researchers, compromising materials that remain on the Internet for years may become a cause of peer violence in the future. Another consequence of parental trolling are the legal consequences associated with sharing a child's image. The person who suffers the consequences of such actions is the publishing parent. According to the researchers, there is a risk that an adult son or daughter will pursue their rights in the future if they believe that their parents have violated their well-being.
They also warn that even an innocent photo showing a child playing on the beach can be used and abused in other contexts. (PAP)
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