Do you post pictures of your children on social media?

[spice3]

This is a debate I keep seeing cropping up as a side topic on MN threads and it's made me curious.

Do you or don't you and why?
I do (not overly but occasionally) and I was quite shocked by how many people are so completely against it.

I do, I think it’ll be lovely for them and me to look back on it when they’re older. It’s like a family photo album but with interaction.

No I don’t. I don’t want everyone to have access to pictures of my DS. My mother has a tendency to forward pictures of DS that I send her to other people she knows and I have told her to ask me first if its ok before she does that. I don’t mind it if she shows them to people but I don’t like the idea of people I don’t know having them in their phones and also being able to forward them/ post them online.

@SeaWitchly

I guess because the friends I am talking about keep up to date with where technology and software are headed. And quite a few of them have come from ‘security’ industries in previous roles. I guess I listen to what they talk about that is already available but not yet in public domain for whatever reason.

But each to their own. I have an active social media presence but would never put images of my family up. When they are an adult they can curate their own digital legacy, how they want. And open it to public view. Those already adults in my family (with tech backgrounds) don’t want to have pics in the public domain and I respect their choices obviously.

For now I keep reminding myself that if I became famous overnIght for whatever reason (even as a victim of a horrific crime or accident) and I had pics of my family available to the public, how could it be used? How would I feel comfortable for it to be used? It is just a different way to view privacy I guess.

Occasionally, with permission. FB settings are private.

Never. I don’t mind her being on the school/club group photos but I don’t post any myself.

Sometimes.
My rules are: no face shots of kids once school age (4+), to protect their privacy.
Nothing embarrassing (nudity, toilet training etc).
Only flattering shots.
Everything set to private.
Not too often. Only a few times a year.

I’m pregnant with my first and was planning to post a scan pic to “announce” my pregnancy on FB. But the more I thought about it the more uncomfortable I felt, so I didn’t post it in the end. It just felt really wrong and invasive to put a photo of a future person out there when they’re not even out of the womb yet (even though I know that scan pictures pretty much all look exactly the same!)

Yes, sometimes.

Only nice ones, nothing embarrassing, and not many. I hate seeing photos of friends' babies' poo explosions, toddler tantrums etc.

Not as children and I now clear the photo with my adult son first. 15 yo never. I asked them about it years ago and they asked me not to.

No not ever and I would rather they didn't either.

Child is hoiked out of group photos, she's not even allowed to have a school photo taken, not in any of the class photos or anything. Not because she's in witness protection or adopted or something, but because her mum is really weird.

You have no idea why this mum has made this choice for her child. Maybe she's 'weird' due to things that have happened in her life, the same things that now mean she doesn't want her child's photo taken.

My kids photos are taken at school and occasionally put on the school website. The school ask permission and both my kids don't mind so that's ok with me. I have never posted photos of my kids on social media and never would. It's their choice to make when they're older.

I feel sorry for the kids whose parents post easily identifiable pictures of them on social media. Whose to say what will happen in the future and they may want privacy.

I am also amazed at the amount of detail some people post on here about their kids. Some posters are pretty easy to identify in real life, and they post all sorts of information about their children’s schooling, grades, health issues, friendships, relationships etc. All under the premise of ‘support’. I hope their kids realise and have given permission for their private lives to be subject of discussion.

I post loads of pictures of my DS on all my social media accounts! Have done from when he was first born just over a year ago. My family also post their own photos of him when he is in their care. It doesn't bother me at all.

Yes I do. Not loads because I realise no one else is really interested in my kids. Maybe once a month if we go somewhere scenic I'll post a couple of photos of the kids and the scenery.

I see no problem with posting pics online - PROVIDING your social media is secure. By that I mean only adding people you know, and having the privacy settings to keep anyone else out.

Also, I only ever put nice photos on, by which I mean if we've made the effort to do a family shot. I absolutely cannot stand people who document their child's every move. Not because of privacy per se, but because I think it's sad that so many people are watching their kids grow up through a lens. Put the bloody phone down and enjoy them with your own eyes and pay them some actual attention ffs. They're your kids, not just a way to get likes online.

I do. My account is private and restricted to family/ friends with tighter restrictions on what aquaintances see.

The number has naturally diminished as they get older. They change more slowly and are less cutesy. They are not on public photos such as my profile. They spend more time hanging around or in formal activities which are less inspiring for taking pictures.

One side of the family uses whatsapp and I find it a very stilted way to share information compared to fb.

Unless they did work for the secret service, I can't see many employers having an issue with them digging a sandcastle on a beach in Wales 20 years earlier. If we do move much more into a Big Brother society, we are already the most observed nation in the world for CCTV. Data is bought and sold all the time. What you looked like as a small child years ago is pretty minor.

Yes. It doesn't bother me if people recognise them. DS1 is old enough to have an opinion and is happy about it/even asks me to post stuff sometimes.

It's been a godsend at times as between various computer/phone upgrades I've lost photos. So having them backed up there (albeit in low quality) is nice.

Yes but not that often. They’re primary school age and my settings are friends only.

Oops sorry @SeaWitchly.

I dropped out a couple of paragraphs. I think I can very easily start with things like any changes to visa applications to visit/live in a country that gathers social media details. This opens up many privacy issues and potential for misuse (maybe misinterpretion). I also think of copyright theft, stolen identity issues and things like that are all possible even now. As I have also said, what about if you or someone close becomes significant in some way? Examples might be being identified as having radical thoughts by a very aggressive minority group or running for election, or becoming a spokesperson for climate change. You might even start dating someone, or a family member who has a job that becomes of interest. And the press, or anyone else, wants to do research on you or another person in your life. Even images where you are not tagged can be found with the right software.

What would happen if Fb/twitter/LinkedIn/insta were bought by a company from a country who has no interest in preserving privacy. Or having spies planted in various companies. A country who then uses it to monitor a population’s activities. Not only do they have access to what you put up recently, but any you have put up and deleted that might on old back ups or defunct platforms (google plus as an example).

No I don’t because they are all teenagers or young adults.

The only social media I have is Facebook and according to my kids only pensioners use it.

I do. We live overseas from the rest of the family so it's one of the only ways that extended family & friends see my DC's. Obviously no bathtub pics.

DH has a background in Information/Cyber Security and he sees no issue with it as long as my privacy settings are strict.

We were discussing the other week, just hypothetically, whether children who don't have an online presence will find themselves penalized for it in the long run. Eventually everything will be online, so what happens if uni's/jobs etc search and find nothing?

No, but I don't use social media so it's not really an issue. I do have a family WhatsApp group (but that's the limit of my understanding ) but that's just for DH, DS & I.
Thankfully I never have to look at anyone else's Facebook, instagram or whatever so never really understand all the angst about it ... just don't use it.

Mine are 13 and 20. I post very occasionally after a holiday or day out but always ask because DH doesn’t much want his picture posted. DD is not bothered but I still ask. DS hates having his picture taken so I’d never post a picture of him unless he was happy with it.

Yes I do

We live away from my family so I use Facebook to share photos with my Mum/MiL/etc

My Facebook friends are only close friends and family and my settings are private

I post occasionally (family day out/holidays) with their permission