Problematizing Digital Parenting: Control Practices, Sharenting, and Privacy

This paper critically examines parent-child interactions within the context of a phenomenon we refer to as digital parenting: an approach that not only involves parental mediation in educational activities with devices and platforms but also takes place in digital environments. Using a grounded theory qualitative design, six focus groups were conducted with parents of adolescents aged 11 to 17. The data collected were analyzed using ATLAS.ti software. Among the findings, children's privacy emerges as a key category under dual pressure. On one hand, it conflicts with parental control, which is exercised through various strategies. On the other, it clashes with widespread practices like sharenting, which leads to a loss of personal and family privacy. This paradox is one that we aim to bring to light in this study.