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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Covering kids face on Social media

52 replies

Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 20:35

AIBU to find it pointless to post a pic of your kid in facebook and put a big smiley face on his/her face?
I have kids and I post pics that I want friends and family to see.
I completely understand that some people do not like photos of their kids on SM, that's fair enough..just do not post any!!
What's the point of putting a photo of your kid eating an ice cream and cover the face? Surely you could just post a photo of the ice cream?
Or a photo of your kid at the beach fave covered...just post a pic of the beach

OP posts:
MissCrowley · 03/09/2021 20:38

I know personally of a couple of parents who do this because their children are adopted/ fostered and they are not to have any sort of contact with their biological parent.
It's basically so their biological parents can't track them down.

ViceLikeBlip · 03/09/2021 20:39

Agreed. It makes sense to me when some people only include the back of their kid's head in a lovely sunset picture, or if they want to post a picture of their cat (which they do 🙄) but their kid is in the corner of the picture then they'll cover the kid's face. But a close up of just the kid, but not showing the kid's face? I don't get it.

nc5698 · 03/09/2021 20:40

I'm not sure actually. I just don't put photos of my children online/SM.

Crowtooyo · 03/09/2021 20:41

Same as above, I know a couple with adopted children. I don't see the issue! It's not necessarily a bad thing to protect the child's identity a little but still show them enjoying!

CarryOnNurse20 · 03/09/2021 20:41

I agree. I have a couple of friends who have all the privacy settings on and photos can’t be seen by any one not on their friends list and they still cover the child’s face. I find it so weird…you’re not a celebrity no one is going to hack your account and use you child’s photo..? So strange.

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 20:41

@MissCrowley in that situation would it not be best not to post any pic at all, for the childs safety or fear of being recognised

OP posts:
Crowtooyo · 03/09/2021 20:43

[quote Ishecheating1]@MissCrowley in that situation would it not be best not to post any pic at all, for the childs safety or fear of being recognised[/quote]
But they won't be recognised if face is covered.

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 20:43

I have a friend..she constantly post photos with captions describing exactly the kid is doing and tagging the place they are at but then cover the face ..

OP posts:
LindaEllen · 03/09/2021 20:45

@CarryOnNurse20

I agree. I have a couple of friends who have all the privacy settings on and photos can’t be seen by any one not on their friends list and they still cover the child’s face. I find it so weird…you’re not a celebrity no one is going to hack your account and use you child’s photo..? So strange.
Happy child abuse isn't an issue in your family.. but that's sadly not the case for all children.
Returnoftheowl · 03/09/2021 20:46

I had a similar thought recently. A friend posted a family photo of her, her DH and 2 children. She's stuck massive emoji stickers over all 4 of their faces... There is literally nothing else in the photo!

Muststopeating · 03/09/2021 20:48

Ha, yeah! Its ridiculous. One ex colleague of mine loves to share his super glamourous life... and must include posed photos with the kids. But then hides their faces. Its all too 'Facebook' life!!!

(And before anyone cries jealousy, I used to be an expat in the same country, living the same glamourous life and I still didn't feel the need to show it off on SM).

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 20:51

@LindaEllen what does child abuse has to do with covering faces on fb?
Do you mean they cover the face to hide the bruises? I can assure you my friend is not a child abuser.

OP posts:
user1471447924 · 03/09/2021 20:51

It’s a tiny bit attention seeking IMO. Unless they’re adopted or fostered, that’s a bit different.

loafcake · 03/09/2021 20:54

Yeah I don't understand this, I also just don't post any pictures of my daughter nor allow anyone else to.
My DP's cousin regularly posts closeup pictures of her husbands new baby niece with a huge emoji over basically the whole picture??
I just truly don't understand why you would bother in the first place!

Raggeo · 03/09/2021 20:55

I don't have photos of my son on social media but if I was posting a group shot such as a BBQ with friends or a dinner with extended family I would cover his face with an emoji. I wouldn't post a pic of only my son and then put an emoji over it, that's just weird.

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 20:56

Am glad am not the only one who find it pointless..it is as if they want to show off without showing the face Wink

OP posts:
Rufus27 · 03/09/2021 20:59

I do it because mine are adopted and their birth family are potentially dangerous … but I still want to over share boring pictures of them with close friends and family because I love them to bits and love (finally) being a mum Grin

GammyLeg · 03/09/2021 21:03

“It's basically so their biological parents can't track them down.“

If they are that much at risk why post anything? If you were trying to track someone down, a picture of a child with a blanked out face would be a huge clue!

Zealois · 03/09/2021 21:03

An old uni friend puts up lots of pictures every week of her toddler where you can just see the back of the child's head. I have wondered why she bothers.

TartanJumper · 03/09/2021 21:04

I think this is very situation dependent.
For the majority of people, they don't need to worry, no.

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 21:04

@Rufus27

I do it because mine are adopted and their birth family are potentially dangerous … but I still want to over share boring pictures of them with close friends and family because I love them to bits and love (finally) being a mum Grin
Awww that's nice..great feeling being a mum. Your situation is different and understandable, like other posters have mentionned adoption etc, but most cases are of biological parents doing this.
OP posts:
Toottooot · 03/09/2021 21:06

I followed a weaning account that posted every single detail of their child’s life in great detail. Now decided their child needs privacy so covers their face with emojis. If your child needs privacy stop posting on an account that you clearly state in the bio is about your kids and post them privately for friends and family only. Unfollowed after she posted the kid with an emoji on the face but wearing full nursery uniform with the nursery they attend clearly visible 🤦🏻‍♀️

Namechange12312 · 03/09/2021 21:10

I have a friend that does this, again I totally understand some people don’t want pictures of their child on social media and of course if they happen to be in a photo you might choose to cover their face. But this friend literally posts a photo of just her 2 kids and covers their faces?? Why bother???

Original poster
Ishecheating1 · 03/09/2021 21:11

I've even got a text from my friend before saying i never comment on her kids photos ...i told her there are no kids..just an emoji face eating an ice cream...then i went on FB and commented 'lovely smiley face eating ice cream'...she wasn't impressed.

OP posts:
Rufus27 · 03/09/2021 21:13

[quote Ishecheating1]@MissCrowley in that situation would it not be best not to post any pic at all, for the childs safety or fear of being recognised[/quote]
I make sure our two couldn't be recognised by what I post. I do it because so much of our family life is different to other families because of the children’s adoption related circumstances, and I guess posting on SM occasionally gives me a sense of ‘normal’ parenting.

I never post anything in which they could be recognised and they never appear in class photos, school play pictures etc.

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