CHRISTIAN PARENTS AND SHARENTING BEHAVIOUR

Sharenting, the practice of parents sharing their children's images, videos, and personal information online, has become an integral aspect of digital parenting in the social media age. This study explores sharenting behaviours among Christian parents, focusing on how their faith, privacy concerns and social influences shape their decisions to share their children's lives online. The rapid expansion of social media has made sharenting a common practice, yet concerns regarding child privacy, digital footprints and ethical considerations remain relevant. This research aimed to understand the extent to which Christian values influence sharenting practices, the motivations behind parents' sharing decisions, and the perceived risks and benefits associated with online sharing. The study employed descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, to analyse responses from Christian parents at Foursquare Gospel Church. The findings indicate that older parents are more privacy-conscious than younger parents. Strong religious commitment was linked to less frequent sharenting, emphasizing values like modesty, discretion, and stewardship. However, many parents acknowledged the benefits of online sharing, such as strengthening family bonds and fostering Christian community ties. Despite this, privacy concerns and potential risks, such as cybersecurity threats and loss of child autonomy, influenced their decisions. The study concludes that Christian parents navigate a balance between faith, social connection, and digital responsibility. It recommends faith-based digital literacy programs to help parents make ethical, informed decisions about sharenting.