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Original poster

Do you post pictures of your children on social media?

252 replies

Leefygreen · 09/04/2019 19:28

I use social media quite a lot, I've been posting pictures of DC since I started to use facebook and then instagram so when my oldest was around 4 and there's pictures of my other children from birth to now. It's nice to have them there to look back on but I do wonder sometimes whether I should, I find some of my own childhood pictures a bit embarrasing. My DC aren't too bothered by it, youngest is too young understand, middle one couldn't care less, my oldest is a teenager now so she cares a little more and I ask her permission before posting anything of her. Most people I know also post pictures of their DC regularly, I only know a couple who don't at all

OP posts:
Original poster
Leefygreen · 09/04/2019 22:12

I do find social media quite useful to catch up with people and see what they've been doing I know I can just contact them and ask them but I don't always think to. I have lots of siblings who live hours away and I only really see a few times a year and it seems like everytime I see them their kids have grown another foot but this way I don't feel like I'm missing out on seeing my nieces and nephews grow up. Along with my family being able to see my DC. I keep everything private and only add friends and family, I have some friends who have public accounts and share pictures of their DC in the bath and such which I think is definitely too much

OP posts:
trilbydoll · 09/04/2019 22:12

Yes until they start school. Preschoolers are always cute but at some point they turn into awkward tweens and I'd hate to have photos of me aged 8 all over the Internet.

Siameasy · 09/04/2019 22:15

I don’t have SM any more. I used to very occasionally post just cos I was (am) proud of them.
I know a few mum bloggers who are very “right on” and often write about “teaching our children about consent”. They aren’t bothered about consent when it comes to using their child on SM to build their blog and make money. One had a photo of her child on the potty.Hmm

olderthanyouthink · 09/04/2019 22:23

Oh just remembered I've seen someone post that their 3 year old had a poo accident and posted it on their IG story with their DD walking around naked, no attempt at covering front or back. And another account where Mum had posted in their feed a photo of there child on the toilet, stating they were unwell, who needs to see your child's D&V????

PortiaCastis · 09/04/2019 22:28

Those children will grow up and not thank their parents for putting their toilet pics on the net forever more, we know there are poo freaks and peados trawling and hacking the net so why give them fodder for their thrills

LadyB49 · 09/04/2019 22:32

We exchange pics with family and close friends via messenger and WhatsApp.

Ds(s) put a new born pic on when each dgchild was born. And since then other pics don't show faces. This is because of paedophiles who may steal pics to use inappropriately.

CountFosco · 09/04/2019 22:34

I'm not on FB (they own the copyright of all images posted on FB) but have posted photos on other social media (where I retain copyright) with good security. Eldest starts secondary school next year so want things secure for her.

RainbowFox · 09/04/2019 22:45

I share a pic/video of my toddler maybe once every 2-3 weeks. I'm conscious about over sharing but I also only have a small number of FB friends and regularly cull my list so feel confident about who I'm sharing with. I do sometimes wonder if I should delete everything though. I feel a bit torn over it.

I don't understand people who post pictures but hide the face (either a sticker or photo from behind). Ok they aren't identifiable but it's still a photo of your child. It strikes me more as a 'look at me, I don't believe in showing my child on social media but I still want to show off what my child is doing on social media anyway'. I kind of think if you really didn't believe it then you wouldn't do it full stop.

SamanthaBrique · 09/04/2019 22:47

This is because of paedophiles who may steal pics to use inappropriately.

If you suspect one of your friends is a paedophile then you should probably block them @LadyB49...

fotheringhay · 09/04/2019 22:52

No I don't think it's fair on them, or - though I may be being oversensitive - on people who can't have children.

It's always felt too much like showing off to me, and after xh left I found 'happy family' photos genuinely heartbreaking so I've unfollowed many friends.

However it's only a minority who are doing it in a smug way, but still.

GreenTulips · 09/04/2019 22:53

SamanthaBrique

It’s doesn’t have to be a friend, could be a friend of a friend
Could be reposted elsewhere

It happens

Don’t think it doesn’t

Cottonwood · 09/04/2019 22:55

Olderthan how can you tell who has looked at your FB/IG pictures? Surely pretty much anyone can and you wouldn't know? I could show a bunch of 20 friends a photo on my phone that was from a friend on my FB page and they wouldn't have any control over it?

Cottonwood · 09/04/2019 22:56

fothering would hate to feel anyone thought I was being smug, but yes it must be very hard Flowers

RainbowFox · 09/04/2019 22:57

And since then other pics don't show faces. This is because of paedophiles who may steal pics to use inappropriately.

I'm no expert but I would expect posting a photo but hiding a face doesn't guarantee a paedophile won't use the photo.

Grundtal · 09/04/2019 22:58

No I don't, although I send odd photos to close family in private messages. We made a decision to not put photos of our kids online, unless they consent which means nothing until they are older. At primary school we put them out of being on the School website etc. At secondary we ask them to make the choice themselves and abide by their wishes.

DelilahfromDenmark · 09/04/2019 22:58

I never post pics of DC online. I don’t know who might be viewing them, despite tight security on my social media accounts.
Most of my friends do post, and I love seeing pics of their children.

SamanthaBrique · 09/04/2019 23:00

@GreenTulips If you have your privacy settings set to friends only then only they can see it. Their friends can't.

As for it being reposted elsewhere, you run that risk with any image you send, whether it be via Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp or email.

fotheringhay · 09/04/2019 23:18

Thanks Cottonwood that's lovely of you to say.

PandaCat · 09/04/2019 23:21

I do, although a lot less than I used to. I will, of course, stop if they wish it.

mondaylisasmile · 09/04/2019 23:23

No. Lack of children's ability to consent should mean by default people shouldn't do it imho... Friends and family members have got into all sorts of bother being so laid back (including one long-term stalking problem where oversharing had led to far too much info about routines etc being pretty much public, "friends of friends" in a large network).

I occasionally show him what i've posted and if he doesn't like it I'll remove it.

See, I think that's really irresponsible... The onus should be to get consent, then post... You can't delete stuff 100% reliably once it's out there, you don't control it (see my comments above), so why broadcast then check it's ok?!

Madness.

I wouldn't want my parents to post public photos of my childhood online, they're embarrassing enough in a photo album!

olderthanyouthink · 09/04/2019 23:24

@Cottonwood the photos of my DD are only on my story so to view it you have to click and then you get added to a list that I can see. I don't use the normal posting photos really.

Do you post pictures of your children on social media?
RainbowFox · 09/04/2019 23:28

I didn't know when I looked at someone's insta story they could see that I had looked!! Better be more careful who I'm stalking Grin

Cottonwood · 09/04/2019 23:28

older now you see that freaks me out because I don't want people knowing that I've looked at that daily story thing, I've never posted anything on there but have glanced at what other people have put but never 'liked' it or anything. Do your friends normally acknowledge that they've seen it or am I a sm pariah!

Cottonwood · 09/04/2019 23:30

older sorry but also, you've just put up a list of friends on a public forum who presumably don't know they're on here! It's a minefield, maybe they don't mind though Smile

Emdoug · 09/04/2019 23:39

I post pictures myself on social media because my privacy settings means only friends/family can see them, I did ask all family not to post photos on their own page most have been okay with this apart from FIL, MIL and SIL actually threatened us with a small claims court today because we wontgive her permission to use photos of DD for advertising her photography business Hmm

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