6 Kinds of Child Photos We Shouldn’t Post on Social Media

The era of social media has given us a lot of new phenomena, and one of them is known as sharenting. Sharenting is a practice when parents seem to overuse social media when sharing their kid’s photos and updates with the rest of the world. While parents may have good intentions while doing so, posting some images of their kids can put them at risk.

Here at Bright Side, we’d like to tell you about 6 kinds of child photos parents should avoid posting on their various social media accounts.

School-related pictures that can give hints about where your child studies

Back-to-school pictures may seem innocent, but they’re not. Photos showing your child wearing their school uniform can potentially attract predators who can identify the school your child is attending simply by looking at the photo. A uniform is not the only dangerous thing about posting school pictures. Even little details in the background of the photo, like the school building or a logo of a sports club, can reveal enough information about your kid’s location to put them at risk.

Pictures with name tags

Pictures showing your kid with a name tag is another type of photo that can reveal their identity. If you still want to post such a picture, make sure you’ve blurred out the name on the tag and those present on any other children in the picture.

Pictures with metadata and geotagging

If you love giving frequent updates about your family life on social media, it’s better to make sure the platforms you use for posting pictures don’t reveal the metadata of your photos. Metadata, or EXIF data, contains information about the time and place your picture was taken and can be used to locate your child. You can also choose to turn off geotagging and metadata for all your pics.

It’s also a good idea to check your privacy settings on social media accounts and make sure you only share your kids’ photos with people you trust.

Pictures that show your child’s uncovered body

Once we upload a picture to the Internet, we’re no longer in full control of it, and we don’t know who can see, copy, or share this picture. Posting pictures that show the naked or partially covered body of your child can attract online predators, and these photos can also make your children feel embarrassed when they grow up and see them posted on the Internet.

Pictures that show tantrums or bad behavior

Another kind of photo that can make your child feel embarrassed and frustrated when they see them online are pics showing their misbehavior or other moments of weakness. Even if the reason for your kid’s distress seems funny enough to be shared, remember that for your child, it may be a real tragedy at the moment, and their feelings should not be laughed at.

Pictures that show other children

While trying to protect your kids’ identity online, don’t forget about the safety of other children. Don’t post pictures that show other kids, and if you do so, blur out their faces and any other details that can reveal their identity or location.

The police in Surrey, England made a short video with basic guidelines on how to take a “safe” photo of your child, and here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Crop out school buildings and playgrounds.
• Cover your kids’ names on school bags and name tags.
• Don’t show other kids’ faces in your pictures.

Do you post a lot about your children on social media? What’s your personal list of dos and dont’s for sharing your kids’ pictures and updates?