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Wanting to share cute pictures of your kids online is natural, but once shared, parents can lose control over what happens to their images. Unfortunately, it’s possible for your photos to be re-shared, edited or copied without your knowledge or consent.
Here are four kinds of photos parents should think twice about before posting online.
It’s true: a picture can tell a thousand words. And it’s possible some of those ‘words’ contain private information about where you live, if you’re away on holidays, or the places you like to spend time. This can be especially worrying when it’s not always clear what social media platforms do with your images.
Some social media sites claim ownership of your photos and videos once you share them, so always read the terms and conditions. According to Mashable, it’s unclear what Facebook (who also owns Instagram) does with images once they’re uploaded: “Unfortunately, it’s not 100 percent clear, and Facebook isn’t inclined to say. However, we do know at least one thing Facebook does with photos: train its AI [artificial intelligence].”
Just because Instagram wants to know where you are, doesn’t mean you have to tag your location. In fact, you should avoid doing this! Location tagging makes it easier for people in your area to search for images near them – and possibly come across images of your baby.
Before posting anything online, switch your privacy settings on private mode, and your geo-location off. This way, only the people you want to see your photos – such as friends and family – can see your posts.
Sure, it’s funny now – but your child might not think so once they’re a little older. So that’s a no to toilet pictures, poo explosions, bath photos etc.
Common Sense Media says that privacy becomes a concern for children at around age five. Additionally, the eSafety commissioner recommends asking your child before you share photos on social media, even when they’re really young.
“It may seem silly to do this with younger children, but the point is to model consent and respectful data sharing practices from an early age,” they say.
You might be okay with sharing images of your baby on social media, but that doesn’t mean friends in your mothers’ group are.
Check in with other parents before sharing photos of their children online. There are some pretty excellent photo editing apps available so that you can crop out or blur any little faces, too.
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