Abstract

The rise of social media has led to a phenomenon called "sharenting," where parents, particularly mothers, share intimate moments of their children’s lives online. In India, this practice has gained prominence with the increasing popularity of "momfluencers" who use their children to enhance their social media presence. While documenting children’s lives may seem harmless, it raises significant privacy and security concerns, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). AI technologies can manipulate publicly shared images to create explicit content, making children vulnerable to exploitation. This article examines the ethical dilemmas and security risks associated with sharenting in India, focusing on the role of momfluencers and the legal inadequacies that fail to protect children from unintended exposure. It highlights the growing threat of AI-generated child pornography and the dangers of sharing children’s images online. The article urges parents to exercise caution and responsibility, suggesting that the drive for social media engagement should not come at the cost of a child’s privacy and security. Ultimately, the paper calls for greater awareness and vigilance in the digital age.

KeywordsSharenting, Momfluencers, Child Exploitation, Artificial Intelligence, Online Privacy Risks

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Introduction

With the advent of social media, it is now common practice to post fragments of our lives online. There are such platforms as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok where users are encouraged to share images and short videos with their friends about their daily activities. Nevertheless, the line between the acceptable sharing of content on social media, especially about children and privacy has been put into questioning. This sharing of a child