Should You Share Pictures Of Your Kids Online? Expert Answers
Do you love posting photos on social media? If you have kids, you may be including pictures of them too. However, you should be aware that posting your kid’s image online isn’t without its risks.
Trevor Cooke, the online privacy expert at EarthWeb, discusses the need to safeguard your child’s privacy online, and explains how to do it.
What Are The Risks Of Posting Your Child’s Photo Online?
Trevor says, ‘Social media posts of kids may include their photo, name, and date of birth/birthday. This can enable cybercriminals to commit identity fraud and perform financial scams (e.g. gaining false credit using your child’s name).’
Social media platforms can also share your kid’s data with other companies for targeted marketing purposes. In the worst-case scenario, your child’s photos could also be shared or altered by people who create child pornography.
Trevor’s Tips For Safe Photo Sharing
Amend Your Privacy Settings
Make sure you set your privacy settings on all your social media platforms so that only close friends and family can see your posts, and - if possible - restrict who can tag or share them. Turn off geotagging so the location of each photo isn’t revealed.
Be Mindful Of Posting On Certain Days
Trevor says, ‘Posting photos on the first day of school or your kid’s birthday reveals important information about them. Think twice before posting photos on these special days, and consider whether other children will also be in the pictures, as their parents might not want them on social media.’
Think About Your Child’s Future
Ask yourself: Has my child permitted me to post this photo, and is it embarrassing for them if others see it - either now or many years later? Will they be bullied at school for it, or will future employers see it on their profile? Trevor says, ‘Some believe that parents should refrain from posting any photos of their child at all, as this violates their right to control their own image. This is something to keep in mind when deciding whether to post or not.’
Use Private Social Networks Instead
Some examples of private social networks include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram Direct Messages (DM). These options provide ad-free, secure, and private places for you to share photos with close friends and family without risking anyone else seeing the photos.
Trevor says, ‘It’s important to understand the concerns regarding ‘sharenting’, which is a new term for parents who share information and pictures of their child on social media. If you decide to do it, make sure you always put your child’s interests at the forefront.’
