That posting children on social media should be banned?

It's unworkable. Are you really going to send parents to prison for sharing pictures with their relatives who live overseas?

I think having a permanent and lasting identifiable personal record of your life is very different. Children can’t consent to that until they are older.

Until they do, and isn't going to be soon, it's up to parents to look after their children.

Parents need to be more tech savvy than they are and have their accounts locked down or their children off open forums.

I completely agree. I remember when DS was diagnosed with ASD seeing what some parent bloggers posted about their children on SM was shocking. No dignity or privacy afforded to the children and the parents were not going to be getting more support just because “Billy” was having a meltdown on Facebook.

Whereas when my other friends with children with ASD or my children had meltdowns, we tried to attune to them and help them regulate, we didn’t pull out the camera and start recording them.

Powers to go after parents posting inappropriate images is better, along with locked down definitions of what "inappropriate" is.

Hopefully things have improved since 1995... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/julia-somerville-defends-innocent-family-photos-1538516.html

I was out with my pal a few months back and we popped into a cafe and she realised she knew a little lass in there, she kept saying, "I know her face, maybe an an advert?" Anyway it was a local influencers little girl, she realised when her mum turned around how she recognised the little girl.
She follows her account for hair/beauty I think she said. (She had nice hair so it's possible I'm making that bit up 😂)
Anyway it freaked me out, imagine strangers knowing your dc's (not sure how old the little girl was, anywhere from 4-6) name etc? The little girls name was relatively unusual and I am a massive worrier when it comes to kids and immediately hoped that nurseries or schools etc really follow protocol with passwords and double checking etc, because if uniform pics are posted or anything and someone extremely manipulative and convincing tries to collect her, well its just scary isn't it?
I'm very opposed to kiddos being posted online. Just what's app their pics to your aunty Jan as a PP said.
(I do have an aunty Jan!)

People who posting their kids online for financial gain should be banned. It’s exploitative and there is not regulation like there would be if there were being made to work in a factory or shop. People posting some pics of their own kids on private Facebook pages etc is completely different.

WhatsApp is now considered social media.

So literally me sending a pic to my dad of his grandkids would become a criminal offense?

If banned from SM then also banned from advertisements?

Just saying.

People who say they use it to ‘keep in touch with friends and family’
Why not just use WhatsApp??

I remember there was a US influencer who was meant to adopt a baby and then cancelled last minute because the country she was adopting from were not allowing for adoptees to be shown on social media for the first year following adoption.

^

Despicable

Just what kids who are in the position to be adopted need!

Totally agree

There was one on fbook the other day of a girl who looked about ten in a towel, in a sauna.

I mean wtf

So obviously a scam and or pedophiles

Your sledgehammer approach isn't going to protect them.

A tiny number of parents are "exploiting and abusing" their children like this. The vast majority aren't and are using social media to keep in touch with friends and family. Powers to go after parents posting inappropriate images is better, along with locked down definitions of what "inappropriate" is.

I couldn't agree more, thank you for saying out loud. I don't know if it's a very popular opinion, though.

I find it absolutely disgusting when people use children to further their 'influencer careers'.

I remember there was a US influencer who was meant to adopt a baby and then cancelled last minute because the country she was adopting from were not allowing for adoptees to be shown on social media for the first year following adoption.

I would be in favour of extending the already existing TV and stage working rules of children to social media though. You would then have to have a work permit and meet certain criteria if you are monetising your account.

You are speaking my language OP.
Social Media is (one of) the leading causes behind a meteoric rise in mental health issues amongst adolescents (see Jonathan Haidt’s work)
It really is so unhealthy for children and posting kids online is just normalising it so they continue to do it themselves as they get older. And that’s before you factor in the predators online you mention.
I honestly think it’s such a huge issue, social media and the wider issue of screen use amongst small children, that something drastic should be done about it.

I don’t show my children on social media even amongst locked down accounts. But I think this is a hammer to crack a nut. I’m generally against loads of state control on family lives. Where children are geberuinely coming to harm then there are safeguarding steps that can be taken already. Whilst I would never post my children, there is a world of difference between a mum cooking with her 6 year old on her family cooking YouTube chanel and the things you describe. People have the right to make parenting making choices that I wouldn’t.

Re the influencers:

Imagine how long the kids have to stand / sit still everyday for photos.

They can't just go out they have to be doing something that will get likes.

Never mind the videos they will need to rehearse

Check out the dad challenge podcast if you haven't already. Some horrendous exposés on there.

AI is at a level now where Meta etc could have a "this looks like you're uploading a picture of a child. We don't allow this" flag on their products.

I agree