Tip of the iceberg – what problems can sharenting cause?

„An 18 year old woman is now suing her parents because they posted her pictures on Facebook. According to the claimant, the parents started sharing hundreds of pictures of their child as early as 2009, including intimate and emberrassing moments. The parents knew no shame or boundaries.”

„A mother was fined 10.000,- euros, because she posted pictures of her teenage son on Facebook without the son’s consent – decided a court in Rome.”

A few years ago, cases like these could have sounded absurd, however more and more similar lawsuits are being filed nowadays.

Why would sharing a picture mean any problems? Parents have been showing pictures of their children for ages, isn’t this the same? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding no.

Legal aspects of sharenting

According to the Hungarian Civil Code, people under the age of 18 have limited capacity to act. The law further divides minors into two categories: people under 14 have no capacity to act at all, while people between 14 and 18 have limited capacity, meaning that for their actions to be valid, the approval of their legal guardian is necessary. Still, minors are considered as individual human being with their own legal capacity and their own rights. Additionally, their rights are further protected by additional rules in order to guarantee their healthy upbringing.

It is evident that a child (minor) is dependent on their parents. This dependency however must not limit the protection of their rights, it should broaden it. This is also true to the child’s personality rights. Posting a picture of a minor without their consent is a violation of their rights. The parents’ rights are also limited as per what they must, what they can, and what they cannot do to their children. Violating their personality rights is one such issue.

What is the potential risk of this?

First of all, sharenting puts the security, identity and good reputation of the child at risk. At the very least, their personality rights may easily be violated. Additionally, posting an excessive amount of content on the internet may harm the family’s trust and harmony. In extreme cases, crimes may also be commited, such as harrassment or other actions.

Regarding basic rights and freedoms the source of the problem is that the parents’ freedom of speech and opinion confronts the child’s right for self-determination, dignity, personal life, personal secrecy and rights regarding personal images.

Additionally, sharenting may also pose problems regarding data security and data protection. What is once posted on the internet, will never leave the internet, and this is also true for the child’s pictures and other contents. It is all too easy to download or copy any content posted on the internet, even if the post itself has security measures built into the platform. It is the parents’ obligation to consider such risks before posting anything about their child on the internet.

What should parents do before posting contents of their children?

§ It is recommended to study the security settings and measures of the chosen platforms

§ They must be aware of the fact that they can and they should ask for professional help in case they are in doubt

§ They must make sure never to share any location data regarding their child

§ They must always ask the child’s permission before posting anything

§ They must not share any materials in which the child’s body is exposed in any way

§ They must consider the potetnial effects of any published materials on the child’s life

What can the child do?

§ They have the right to protest to their pictures being published or shared

§ They can have their pictures removed by the operator of the site

§ In case of serious violation of rights they can also sue for restitution or even damages

Summary

Parents should exercise caution when posting anything about their children on social media or on the internet. Exposing the child’s life or any data may result in serious consequences. If in doubt, one should always seek professional legal – or other – help. Children also have rights to their own pictures and materials that should be respected and protected at all times.

Should you have any questions or need legal help regarding the above topics, feel free to reach out to our office!

As of 1 March 2026, a significant amendment has entered into force in Hungarian real estate law affecting condominium developments: the legislator has introduced a new legal institution, the Condominium Right of Improvement (társasházi építményi jog).

The new regime was enacted, inter alia, through amendments to Act CXXXIII of 2003 on Condominiums and Act C of 2021 on the Real Estate Registry. Its purpose is to provide a more structured and secure legal framework for purchasers in condominium projects under construction.

In this article we summarise the practical implications of the Condominium Right of Improvement for developers, purchasers and financing institutions.

Decree 2/2026 (II. 19.) KTM amends two existing legislative instruments: on the one hand, it clarifies the rules governing the allocation of topographical lot numbers (place numbers) to independent real properties; on the other hand, it introduces detailed amendments to the provisions concerning the fees payable for specified land registry proceedings, as well as for the provision of data from the land registry and from state basic data registers.

On 19 February 2026, Government Decree 28/2026 (II. 19.) was promulgated, introducing an important amendment to the implementing regulation of the electricity (Government Decree 273/2007 (X. 19.) – hereinafter: “Implementing Decree”). The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that inverter replacements carried out in connection with the Home Energy Storage Programme („Otthoni Energiatároló Program”), launched in 2025 and announced for 2026, do not result in unfavourable settlement consequences for operators of household-sized small power plants.

The Home Energy Storage Programme is a state aid scheme designed to promote the installation of battery energy storage systems connected to residential photovoltaic systems. Within the framework of the programme, households may apply for non-repayable grants, subject to specified conditions, for the establishment of energy storage systems.

In this article, we present the essence and practical relevance of the legislative amendment, as well as the legal framework within which inverter replacements and settlement-related issues must be assessed.

Government Decree No. 415/2025 (XII. 23.) on the amendment of consumer protection–related government decrees with a view to ensuring a higher level of consumer protection introduces substantial changes in the field of consumer protection as of 2026.

In this article, we briefly summarise those amendments which will be perceptible to consumers in everyday life and may be of particular practical importance from 2026 onwards.

Government Decree No. 415/2025 (XII. 23.) amends a total of six government decrees related to consumer protection.
The objectives of the amendments are, on the one hand, to strengthen consumer protection and, on the other hand, to reduce the administrative burden on businesses, while also ensuring compliance with EU law and legal harmonisation.

Government Decree No. 448/2025 (XII. 29.) amends Government Decree No. 327/2015 (XI. 10.) on the detailed rules of professional practice related to surveying and cartographic activities for non-cadastral purposes by introducing a new concept and new rules. These amendments will enter into force on 14 January 2026.

The most significant change is the introduction of the concept of the planning base map, the preparation of which now mandatorily requires the setting out of the property boundary.

In practice, the new regulation aims to ensure more uniform, more accurate and, from the perspective of the planning process, more reliable base maps, which may help prevent future conflicts and legal disputes. At the same time, the additional requirements are likely to slow down procedures and increase costs, and stakeholders should be prepared for this impact.