It is now pretty common to share photos of your child online. Proud parents usually post stories, photos, and videos of their kids. They want to share their accomplishments or anything their kids do that makes them feel happy. Parents also might share holiday photos or a little blog about parenting and raising children.
Posting on Social Media is an excellent way to stay connected with relatives and friends and keep them updated on how your child and family are going. It is even helpful in getting advice and feeling less lonely when the need arises. And as parents ourselves, we understand the desire to share what we experience in raising a child.
Writing about your child or posting photos or videos of them online means that you’re creating a digital footprint for them, and this will be a part of their online reputation. Whatever you post online about your child can never be entirely erased from the internet. It is crucial to discover your child’s feelings about the photos and information you share about them. It is also vital that you think about how your child might feel about today’s posts in the future. It might be OK today because it is funny or cute, but they may find it embarrassing as they grow older.
It’s always a good idea to ask your child whether posting a particular photo or video is OK. Children as young as three can say whether they like an image of themselves. If your child isn’t OK with it, don’t post it. And if your child is too young to give a preference, just use your own judgment.
Suppose your child is OK with you sharing some information or images of them. In that case, it’s still a good idea to try and find a balance between protecting your child’s privacy and safety and sharing your family life.
Here are some tips to consider when sharing in blogs and posts about your child:
- Avoid mentioning your child’s name on public websites.
- Avoid posting photos that might identify where your child lives or goes to school.
- Avoid posting personal information that could identify your child, like birthday greetings or address details.
- Be aware that the photos you post could be modified and shared.
- Use email or message apps to send pictures to family and friends.
- Create private virtual family albums to share with close family and friends.
- Pay close attention to privacy settings on your social media accounts or pages.
- Choose your photos carefully and watermark the ones you post publicly.
- Ask friends and family to refrain from posting pictures or videos of your child.
Most of us use social media in a very spontaneous way. We see something, take a photo, hit the button, and that’s it. The post is available to all our friends at that very moment. When it’s your kids, though, it’s worth taking a little more time to think about what you’re doing. The best thing you can do is put more thought into what you post online about your child.
Ultimately, you’re creating your child’s digital footprint. In an increasingly connected world, that’s an important responsibility for parents. It’s almost as important as giving your child a good education and bringing them up to become good citizens. So, giving your kids a digital footprint that they’ll be happy with isn’t just good parenting; it’s a way to show them your love.