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ABSTRACT
Sharenting, the practice whereby parents disclose information about their children on social media, is ubiquitous in our digital society. Even though grandparents take on a considerable role in their grandchildren’s lives and use social media, little is known about grandparents’ sharenting behavior (i.e., grandsharenting). This study explores grandparents’ motives for grandsharenting and privacy management strategies using Communication Privacy Management theory. Based on 17 interviews with grandparents (Facebook users aged between 52 and 83) in Flanders (Belgium), six motives for grandsharenting were identified: informing others about their grandchildren’s development; interacting with other grandparents; giving advice; role confirmation; showing pride towards their grandchildren or happiness of being a grandparent and saving memories. Grandparents indicated they cared about their grandchildren’s digital identities and applied cost-mitigating strategies to protect grandchildren’s privacy. Although cost-mitigating strategies varied by the grandchild’s age, respondents said to consider the content they post, to ask permission to their grandchild before sharing information to respect privacy boundaries and to avoid privacy turbulence. As only grandparents with minor grandchildren were interviewed, parental involvement was deemed important. Grandparents intervened when they experienced grandchildren’s privacy had been violated. Findings contribute to research on privacy regulation, impression management and intergenerational relations in a digital landscape.
IMPACT SUMMARY
Prior state of knowledge: Research on sharenting predominantly focuses on the motives for parental sharenting and outlines the privacy risks sharenting contains. Moreover, in line with Communication Privacy Management theory, research lays bare the cost-mitigating strategies parents adopt to protect their child’s privacy online.
Novel contributions: As grandparents often take on a considerable role in their grandchildren’s lives and increasingly use social media, this study contributes to communication and family studies by investigating grandparents’ motives for sharenting and by examining how they engage in privacy management.
Practical implications: We recommend grandparents to discuss their grandsharenting behavior with their grandchild or the parents of the child before sharing content about the grandchild on social media. Moreover, we encourage grandparents to respect privacy rules in order to avoid intra-familial conflict.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. Data was gathered in January-February 2020 before COVID-19 measures were implemented.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Luna Staes
Luna Staes is a PhD candidate in Social Sciences at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). She holds a Bachelor in Communication Sciences (2019) and Master in Strategic Communication (2020). This is a translation of her master thesis. Beside her PhD project concerning the impact of protest on public opinion in a hybrid media system, she conducts research on the topic of (grand)sharenting.
Michel Walrave
Michel Walrave is a University Professor of Communication Sciences at the University of Antwerp. He is responsible for the research group MIOS. His research interests include online self-disclosure and privacy.
Lara Hallam
Lara Hallam is a researcher and teaching assistant of Communication Sciences at Artesis Plantijn University College. Her research interests include online dating and interpersonal relationships through an online intermediary.