Why More and More Parents Are Covering Their Kids’ Faces on Social Media

In July of 2021, model Gigi Hadid, a mother of one, shared a letter on her social media where she asked paparazzi, the press, and her fans to blur her baby daughter’s face in photographs. We see how more and more parents, including celebrities, are blurring or covering their kids’ faces with emojis in pictures before posting them on social media. Others are showing their kids only from the back or not showing them at all.

We at Bright Side checked out the reasons why more and more parents are starting to think about their kids’ privacy on social media, and here they are.

It’s about kids making their own decisions.

In her note addressed to paparazzi, the press, and fan accounts, Gigi Hadid said she didn’t want her little daughter Khai’s face being shown in photographs. The model said she tries her best to protect her child by not showing her face, but some pictures showing her baby daughter can still be snapped. Gigi asked people using these photographs to blur Khai’s face, and she explained why it’s so important: it’s up to her daughter to decide what things about herself she wants to be shared.

“You know we have never intentionally shared our daughter’s face on social media. Our wish is that she can choose how to share herself with the world when she comes of age, and that she can live as normal of a childhood as possible, without worrying about a public image that she has not chosen,” said Gigi.

There are other celebrity parents who choose to hide their kids’ faces from the public, and Kristen Bell is one of them. She often uses emojis to cover her kids’ faces in the photos she shares on social media, and she does it for the same reason — she wants her children to make their own choice.

“My feeling is that I chose a career in the public eye. I chose to be quoted, I chose to have my picture taken. I don’t know them yet. I don’t know if they will want that. So I really don’t have the right to choose for them,” says Kristen.

It’s about their privacy.

Children’s rights advocates have been urging parents to think twice before sharing information about their kids, including their pictures, because there is a conflict between the kids’ right to privacy and their parents’ right to post. Experts believe it’s important to ask your child whether they want their pictures to be shared with the world or not. These conversations will give kids the necessary feeling of autonomy, respect, and parental support, and help them develop their private and public identities.

It’s about their safety.

Another reason why many moms and dads prefer to hide the faces of their children is because oversharing can also be dangerous. You never know who will look at your kids’ photos or how they’re going to use them. Unfortunately, there are people on the internet who can potentially harm your child. The photos you share with good intentions to show the world how cute, beautiful, smart, or talented your child is, may be used and shared by others in a way you never even thought of.

Each parent has their own reason for sharing or not sharing their kids’ photos on social media. But whatever these reasons are, it may be a good idea to think about what kind of information we should not share with the world. Earlier we talked about the types of kids’ photographs that are better to not be shared in a public space in this article, and we hope this safety guide can come in handy for moms and dads who like posting about their kids.

Do you share your kids’ photos on social media? Do you show their faces? Why or why not? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of “sharenting” in the comments!