Do you post your kids pictures on social media?

[golden547]

I'm having a baby really soon and have had comments from people saying they can't wait to see pictures on my social media, but I'm unsure if I actually want to post my child's pictures online. There's just something about it that makes me feel uneasy.

Do you post pics of your kids? If not, why?

Thanks everyone for your input - it has solidified my stance in not wanting to post my daughter on social media.

It's also interesting to read how many object to posting their children, as on my social media accounts, I've only got 1 friend who doesn't post her children. Everyone else seems to post what seems like daily diary entries about what their kids are up to along with multiple pictures.

It's only on MN that people are vehemently opposed to posting their children on SM, all of my friends and family do. My settings are private and when they are old enough and they want me to delete any pictures then I will.

@Tansytea we have to give permission for the school pics too, and have to be careful that we parents don't post pics of other people's kids (there are a few foster kids needing strict anonymity at our village primary) but the whole village is big on doing events that are community and child/family focused so it's never out of the papers. In fact, I think the local paper is still in business simply because parents and grannies always buy the editions that their little 'uns are in. It's pretty much guaranteed sales

I'm having a baby really soon and have had comments from people saying they can't wait to see pictures on my social media...

What a weirdly specific thing to comment!

Hell no. DH doesn’t have SM for privacy reasons so given he chooses not to have his images online and DC can’t consent, I feel it would be unethical.

Comments like this baffle me you know that these posters on MN are actually real people in real life who are acting this way in the real world so to say it's just on MN is just odd.

Just because lost of people do post does not mean that those who choose not to are some mythical MN unicorns.

It's a lot more common than most people think to not post their childs image on social media it's just those who choose not to often don't talk about it because they get judgemental comments on the subject.

Interesting that so many posters are saying no, absolutely not what I see in rl.

I have put pics of dd as a younger child on fb but keep fb very much to actual friends and close family. I regularly go through my friends list and take off people if we're no longer in contact much.

Now dds a teen I don't put a pic on without checking with her first.

I disagree. Most people I know don’t post pictures. Not everyone is the same. It’s ok to disagree.

No. And no one else is allowed to either.

Bees yes they are real life people but it's like the toilet brush MN stance which is not reflective of real life.

I am sure there are many people who refuse to post their children on SM and that is entirely their choice, as it's mine to post the odd photo and there is nothing wrong with either.

I don't use Facebook or Instagram anymore but when I had accounts no I never posted pictures of my children.

I used to. As my DC got older I showed them the photos I had put online. They hated most of them and I deleted them.

Made me realise that so much of their life is posted online for others to see from the moment they are born and they have no say in any of it. Although I had limited followers, my DC don't know a lot of these people (friends from work etc) so don't want these people to know everything going on in their life.

I don't have any social media now and if I could go back I wouldn't post pics online. Just do what you feel comfortable with. Often we post because we are so proud and want to tell the whole world, however, I know my DC don't want this and are very embarrassed by some things I posted in the past.

Social media didn't exist when DD was a baby. I ask her if she will allow me to post pictures of her now. The last one I posted was of her graduation.

I did when mine were small (10+ years ago, FB, family and close friends only). Occasional photos.

Rarely now though - just maybe the beginning of term but only with their permission.

What I love is the way the FB memories pop up from all those years ago.

I never reshare the old memories but it warms my heart to be reminded my grumpy teen took a cauliflower to bed with her at nap time when she was two .

Yes i do, but my account is locked with security settings and i only have people on there that i know.

I don't know anyone irl who doesn't put photos of kids on their social media accounts, only on mumsnet.

So there is nothing stopping someone you know sharing a picture. It could be your child in a dress you are trying to find or pictured with a view you’d like to know more about if a cost they are wearing etc.

Not really. I have the odd family picture as my profile here and there.
I don't object entirely, a friend put up a photo of our DC playing and the dance school put up a photo of the class recently.
I wouldn't put my own photos up on a regular basis. Our family receive plenty of photos by WhatsApp so I don't feel like I'm depriving family. My friends see us often enough so I don't see the need.
It does make me a little uncomfortable to use their images in such a permanent domain, especially one where intelligent people with nefarious intentions can be found. I think our DC will grow up with far more internet safety than we did.

So there is nothing stopping someone you know sharing a picture. It could be your child in a dress you are trying to find or pictured with a view you’d like to know more about if a cost they are wearing etc.

Exactly. All these posters who say they have good privacy features and only share with friends etc, are ignoring the fact that they have no control over others sharing the photos they have posted.

Only on fb which has high family and close friends settings. I check regularly that fb haven't messed with my settings.

Same.

I agree

I can see the temptation too but I would try not to. Aside from the creeps out there, I also feel like it's creating a social media presence for a child from day dot which feels somehow insidious to me.

On the other end of the scale, my elder father doesn't like pictures of him posted online. I think it's important to respect this.

My one is 16 now but I did on Facebook when she was a baby. I came of Fb and deleted the account when she was about 3. I emailed pictures to my family and friends after that. DD got her own SM at 13. I don't post her image on any SM without asking her permission first. The reason for all this is that even though I've deleted accounts, there's still a digital reference kept by these companies.

My niece and nephew, now adults, were virtually non-existent online up to now because SiL didn't allow ANYONE to post their pics online. I wish I was as sensible now.

Also, to add, there is definitely a line about what I do and don't post! I post nice pics or funny videos - the kind of things you might have sent in an email back in the day 😂
I've got other "mum friends" who post EVERYTHING about their kids and it's quite disturbing (posting your child's faeces is a bit much imho, yet someone I know must post a pic of her child's once a month at least????) Also writing disparaging or embarrassing comments about your kids is never ok imo, especially when you're "friends" with parents from the school gates who will almost certainly tell their kids what they've witnessed on social media