Posting a "baby's first bath" photo isn't cute. Here’s why.
By Gillian Lao
Have you ever posted or seen a “baby’s first bath” photo on social media? You may think it’s a cute and harmless way to share your child’s milestones with your family and friends. But have you ever considered how that could impact your child’s privacy and safety on and offline?
As a parent/caregiver, it is a happy moment witnessing your child’s firsts. One way to capture those memories is to take lots of photos that you, your family, and friends can look back on in the future.
One thing that has changed, however, within the last 20 years is the birth of a new baby: social media. Now it is easier than ever to share those memories with others online with the click of a button. But should you? And do you have the right to do so without your child’s consent?
Consent is an important issue when it comes to posting photos of others, especially children and minors who may not understand or be able to express their preferences. Even though they are your child; they did not give you consent to post that photo of them. And once you do, that photo will stay on the internet forever, even if you delete it later.
How would you feel if someone posted a photo of you without your permission? How would your child feel if they saw that photo 10 years from now and felt embarrassed or violated by something they had no control over? Not to mention, anyone can save, copy, or share that photo with others. This is where safety comes into play, because not everyone has good intentions online.
As a nonprofit working to protect youth online, we see far too often how predators take advantage of images posted of minors. The digital world is constantly evolving and there are many dangers lurking behind the screen. An innocent bath photo can quickly turn into a nightmare of online abuse and exploitation.
This is not to shame or scare parents and caregivers, but instead to create open conversation and awareness about the privacy and safety of youth and especially minors when it comes to posting photos online. Know that it is never a minor’s fault if they are exploited online, but it is our responsibility as adults to protect them from harm.
The solution is simple: Think twice before you post. We live in a society now where it is common practice to post about what you are doing, when you are doing it. It is important to remember that social media always comes at a cost, even if it’s free to download. It costs us our privacy and safety, as well as our children’s. So next time you want to post a photo of your child online, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I have my child’s consent to post this photo?
- Is this photo appropriate and respectful of my child’s dignity?
- Who can see this photo and what can they do with it?
- How will this photo affect my child’s future?
If you are not sure about any of these questions, it’s better to keep the photo to yourself or share it only with people who you trust offline. Your child will thank you for it.
