Third of Romanian children asked parents to remove content about them, survey says
Nearly one in three Romanian children aged 9 to 16 has asked their parents to remove content posted about them online, according to EU Kids Online data highlighted in 2026 by Horizon Magazine, the European Commission’s research and innovation publication.
Romania recorded the highest percentage in the comparison, at 29%, while Lithuania ranked at the opposite end, with only 3% of children reporting that they had asked their parents to remove such content.
In most of the countries surveyed, up to one-third of children said their parents had posted something about them without first asking for their permission.
These findings offer a different perspective on digital safety. Research suggests that a child’s first breach of digital privacy may occur within the family itself, when parents begin shaping their child’s online identity before the child is able to decide what they want to make public.
The scale of the phenomenon is further highlighted by a 2026 study involving 470 parents who share content about their children online. On average, more than seven of their 20 most recent posts featured at least one of their children.
For adults, photos and videos can be a way to preserve memories, share important moments, or stay connected with family and friends. For children, however, the same post can mean losing control over their own image, having a private moment exposed, or acquiring a digital identity they did not choose.
As such, sharing content featuring children was associated both with a greater sense of closeness reported by parents and with increased parent–child conflict, particularly when children appeared in content posted on TikTok or YouTube.
Isabelle Filliozat, one of Europe’s leading authorities on positive parenting, emotional development and trauma-informed approaches, highlighted respect for children, attention to their needs and recognition of the boundaries they express in relation to the findings.
According to her, parents should not treat their child’s image as content they alone have the right to control. Asking for permission before posting, explaining where the photo will appear, respecting the child’s refusal, and removing the content if the child no longer feels comfortable are all ways for adults to show that the child’s voice and boundaries matter.
In this context, digital consent becomes a tangible expression of respect within the parent–child relationship, as well as one of the first lessons through which children learn that they have the right to protect their image and privacy.
Isabelle Filliozat will make her first appearance in Romania at ParentED Fest, taking place on October 17-18, 2026, at the Aula Magna of the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest. Her talk will explore parent–child relationships, emotional development and the challenges facing families in an increasingly digital world.
(Photo source: Ene|Dreamstime.com)
