Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have a picture of me and my daughter as my profile picture?

36 replies

profilepic · 12/01/2025 10:00

There’s a lovely picture of me and baby DD that I would love to have as my profile picture. We have a lot of friends and family who have not met her yet. Up until now I have only posted the back of her head or where her face can’t be seen, nothing identifying and very infrequently. I don’t want her to have a big digital footprint and I think the advance of AI is a bit scary, hence the reasons for not posting so far - until she’s old enough to choose and make an informed decision. My question is, is an occasional picture with another adult still reasonable? Especially at the baby stage, where their features are constantly changing anyway? DH thinks it’s fine as long as it’s not pics of her on her own. Using here as a poll to see.

yabu: I wouldn’t post it for the reasons you’ve mentioned

yanbu: yes I would think occasionally it’s fine

OP posts:
AmberZebra · 12/01/2025 10:14

I now have teenagers - they constantly post photos of themselves and friends online. A few baby pictures are going to be the least of your worries once they hit 14 or so.
Even younger than that if their friend has a phone you can pretty much guarantee there are pictures of your kids online.

Original poster
profilepic · 12/01/2025 10:13

Spirallingdownwards · 12/01/2025 10:12

I simply don't understand why you don't just put private settings on your social media so it's only your friends that would see you pictures anyway.

I find it more bizarre that you want to be so private but are considering using a picture with your child for the profile picture with that being the one that isn't private and is the public facing one.

Edited

Profile pictures are different, otherwise I do

OP posts:
Spirallingdownwards · 12/01/2025 10:12

I simply don't understand why you don't just put private settings on your social media so it's only your friends that would see you pictures anyway.

I find it more bizarre that you want to be so private but are considering using a picture with your child for the profile picture with that being the one that isn't private and is the public facing one.

Doggymummar · 12/01/2025 10:11

I think children should be kept off social media until they are old enough to consent, but if you don't crack on. I was lucky to be born before all this was an issue and it was still mortifying when my mum got out the baby pics for boyfriends. It's just humiliation here's Doggy aged two. Covered in chocolate pudding, aww so sweet. Throwing up on a fairground ride, aww so sweet. First day at school, look at those chubby knees, you get the picture. No one needs to see. You can use Dropbox or similar to share photos with people if you want to.

TeenLifeMum · 12/01/2025 10:10

You make a choice based on what is right for you and your family and stop worrying what others think. I put my dc pics on fb as I like the memories and sharing with family around the world, but my dc perform on stage and feature in newspapers/online news articles for their performances so I don’t have much control on their footprint. They’re teens now so I always check with them before posting and my fb is now mostly our dogs as trends are off out with friends more.

That said, I respect anyone who chooses not to share so much.

BarbaraHoward · 12/01/2025 10:09

This is one for you to puzzle out for yourself.

Personally, I would use the photo and indeed did. I post photos of my DC on my locked down FB account once or twice a year (holiday photos mainly) and don't allow others to post their photos.

Rachmorr57 · 12/01/2025 10:08

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
profilepic · 12/01/2025 10:08

JemimaTiggywinkles · 12/01/2025 10:06

I think it depends if you want others to avoid putting pictures of her online. You can't reasonably expect others to follow a rule that you don't follow yourself.

Other than that, I don't think baby pictures are an issue for privacy long term. Almost nobody is recognisable from their baby photos. The difficulty is when will you stop?

I dunno, I think as her parents we can choose which pictures go on for sure. That’s a good point re when do you stop

OP posts:
IKnowThis · 12/01/2025 10:07

All babies look similar. No one will care about you having a baby photo of them on Facebook. Complete non issue.

JemimaTiggywinkles · 12/01/2025 10:06

I think it depends if you want others to avoid putting pictures of her online. You can't reasonably expect others to follow a rule that you don't follow yourself.

Other than that, I don't think baby pictures are an issue for privacy long term. Almost nobody is recognisable from their baby photos. The difficulty is when will you stop?

Original poster
profilepic · 12/01/2025 10:06

Just bumping

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread