Other people's children online.

[CurlewKate]

I need a reality check here. I am, to my eternal shame, on a FB fan group for an obscure actor from the 1970s I don't usually join in the gush, but I do like the pictures. Said actor's daughter has posted some pictures of her children on Instagram, and someone has copied them to the fan group commenting how like his grandpa he is. I posted that I didn't think she ought to have done that and I'm surprised to discover that nobody agrees with me (I know, right? Shocking!) I am right, though, aren't I? If his mum want to post them on Instagram that's fine, but nobody else should do it?

[Newyeardietstartstomorrow]

If she has posted them on Instagram then the mother herself has already put them in the public domain. I do think sharing photos of and talking about other people's children is distasteful though.

[toothbrusher]

If you put pics of your kid into the public domain anyone can do what they want with them, sadly. She could have shared them privately if it was supposed to be for a family audience

[CurlewKate]

I know legally it's OK but surely we shouldn't be doing it? Or do I need to apologise to the people who are super cross with me?

[MaryJean87]

No, the pictures are already on the Internet and they'll be in the public eye to an extent if the parents post pics of them and they're known to be related to the celeb. It's a bit weird that they're so invested in someone they don't know that they would post that but I don't think they were wrong necessarily.

[Pearfacebananapoop]

It depends if she has her Insta locked down and someone has screengrabbed then yes it's out of order.

[CurlewKate]

Damn. I'm going to have to apologise. Or I may just leave the group. That'd be significantly less painful......!
(I think "celeb" is stretching it a bit!)

[PurpleBananaSmoothie]

I’ve had to get photo permissions for kids for work purposes and we have to say what we are doing with the image and that we won’t use it outside of these specific instances. I know that permissions on social media is different and it’s then in the public domain and free to use. However, I feel it should be treated more like a photo permission form. If you want to share photos of other people’s children you should state what you will do those images and how they will be used, the parent/guardian can then make an informed decision. The fact that anyone can grab a photo of my DD online and share it anywhere means that I don’t share any photos online of her.

[Marsyas]

Would it have been different if they had just put a link to the pictures on Instagram? If so, why?

I'm asking because I am not sure myself, to be honest.