Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
The Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong surveyed parents about their social media use. The poll found that 82.6 per cent of parents posted information about their children on sites such as Facebook, WeChat and Instagram.
“Parents want to record their children’s growth and create memories,” Phoebe See Man-yan of the YMCA said.
28.5 per cent of parents reported that they had never asked for their children’s permission before posting about them. But 70.7 per cent said they were willing to ask their kids’ opinions before they did.
Among the 1,094 pupils questioned in the survey, 43.4 per cent were “embarrassed” by their parents’ actions. 73.6 per cent said it was important to have their privacy protected.
More than half said their parents were unwilling to ask for their permission before sharing their information online. The youngsters’ disapproval of their parents posting about them online increased as they got older.
Hermina Ng Wing-hin, from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, said digital footprints were not easy to erase: “Once you post personal information online ... this can also lead to a risk of identity theft, or contribute to bullying.”
Quiz time
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Why do parents post about their children on social media?
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Who conducted the poll?
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As kids get older, how do they usually feel when parents post about them?
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What did most of the surveyed pupils consider to be important?
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What are the risks of posting children’s personal information online?
Suggested answers
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Parents want to record their children’s growth and create memories. (accept other reasonable answers)
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The Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong
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As they grow up
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To have their privacy protected
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I can lead to the risk of identity theft and contribute to future bullying.
