Despite cultural and legal differences, sharenting—a combination of sharing and parenting, referring to parents' tendency to document and share moments from their children's lives online—is a global phenomenon that has now entered its third decade. While widely regarded as a form of parental self-expression, sharenting also raises significant ethical and legal concerns. It may jeopardise children's right to privacy, as their images and personal information are often shared without their consent, potentially resulting in long-term consequences such as digital identity theft, cyberbullying, or the misuse of their images.

In the chapter "Balancing Public and Private: Sharenting and Child Rights in the Baltic States", published in the edited volume "Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Sharenting: Parenting, Privacy, and Consent" (Routledge, 2026), researchers Dr Kristina Ambrazevičiūtė and Dr Agnė Limantė of the Law Institute of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences, together with Professor Merle Eriksen of the University of Tartu, examine the phenomenon of sharenting in the context of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The authors point out that none of these countries has yet adopted specific measures or developed guidelines directly addressing this practice. Against the backdrop of this regulatory gap, the chapter assesses whether the existing legal framework provides meaningful protection for children whose digital identities are constructed online before they are able to exercise autonomy over decisions concerning the disclosure of their personal information.

Based on their empirical research, the authors conclude that all three Baltic States have an adequate legal framework to address situations involving sharenting. This framework includes the constitutional right to privacy, the child's right to express their views, the definition of parental responsibilities, and the principle of the primacy of the child's best interests. The researchers therefore argue that the most effective way to address the challenges and risks associated with sharenting is not through the creation of new legal instruments, but through systematic public education and the development of practical guidelines for parents. In their view, the core problem in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia is not parental malice, but rather a lack of awareness and understanding of the potential consequences of a child's digital footprint.

The book containing the chapter by researchers from the Law Institute of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences and the University of Tartu is available for reading and purchase here. here