Why Can Posting Your Children's Photos on Social Media Be Dangerous

With more and more tools at our disposal to stay connected to the Internet throughout the day, many of us document our daily lives on social networks. But this practice would not be without risk, especially for children whose parents regularly publish photos online.
The advent of the internet and various technological advances mean that our presence on social networks has increased considerably in recent years. But if we are able to control our use of the Internet to a certain extent, the same cannot be said for the youngest.


However, photos or videos of the latter are sometimes found on Facebook, Instagram or other applications, in particular through their parents. A habit that should be limited or at least tackled, with more caution, because this seemingly harmless gesture could have several repercussions. We tell you more.

A warning from the national gendarmerie
It was in 2016 that the national gendarmerie shared a warning message for parents, calling on them to be cautious about the use of social networks. Relayed by LCI , their publication on Facebook was entitled “Preserve your children” and highlighted the possible consequences of this image sharing following the appearance of the “Motherhood Challenge”.

The latter called on Internet users on Facebook to post photos of their children using the following message: "If you are proud of your children, post 3 photos and nominate 10 of your friends to do the same!" " . In view of its success, the national gendarmerie wished to recall some precautionary measures.

Why should parents avoid posting photos of their children?
According to the police, several reasons should lead to vigilance when parents wish to share photos of their young. The first is the exposure of this content to sexual predators who might be behind the screens. It can happen that the images are diverted and end up on child pornography sites . But this is not the only reason that should push parents to limit this practice.

Indeed, it would also be necessary to take into account their right to image and the potential trauma that this could have on the child in adulthood. And for good reason, the publication of these photos or videos does not generally imply the consent of the little ones who are too young to give their opinion. Relayed by Le Parisien in 2018, a study by McAfee, a cybersecurity company indicates that 34% of parents do not wonder if their children would agree to the publication of their photos online. 25% consider that they are too young to make a decision on this subject. However, children may later find themselves embarrassed or embarrassed to see these images on the Internet if they do not accept them.

5 things to do before posting photos of your kids.
According to Justine Atlan , general manager of e-childhood, there are certain measures to respect when you want to share content involving your children. So, it may be a good idea to use the following tips before your next post:

1. Limit sharing to a private group.
To prevent personal photos from becoming accessible to more Internet users than expected, favor closed or private groups with your loved ones only. You will be able to give news of your children without necessarily making this content visible to all your contacts.

2. Ask your child for permission.
When the child is old enough to understand, you can show them the photo you want to post and ask them if they like it and if they are okay with you sharing it online. This will also allow him to set a good example for his future life concerning image rights.

3. Avoid sharing intimate events.
Before you think about posting pictures of your child in intimate situations, like bathing, for example, ask yourself if it might bother him as an adult. This exposure of their bodies should not be taken lightly.

4. Choose photos that hide the face.
If possible, try to find an angle that allows you to capture a lovely moment, without necessarily revealing too much about your child. Play with shadows or sunglasses and bet on profile photos for equally beautiful shots that protect the identity of the little ones a little more.

5. Disable localization.
Finally, it is important, for both children and adults, to always deactivate geolocation when you want to publish a photo. It is therefore advisable to avoid specifying the place where it was captured, especially if it is a park or the child's school.