To find it annoying when parents choose to put their children on social media but cover their faces?

[yellowpinkbluegreenlilac]

I don’t mean parents who for whatever reason decide they don’t want their children’s images on social media: that’s a totally valid choice.

But why share photos of your child and then stick a smiley face or similar over their image? Quite a few pages I follow on instagram do this, mostly those with a small business. They’ve evidently decided to share images of their family life but are so secretive about their child.

I find it irrationally annoys me, as if their child is so special in some way. I just can’t understand why, you know, you just wouldn’t share images of the child at all, or ones of the child looking out at a view so only back of head or similar. Or am I being petty and disagreeable?

I have a work colleague who does this. It's not like she's famous of anything yet all we see is the back of the child's head playing with toys or her meeting Santa with a smiley face stuck over her actual face. I find it very odd. If you don't want her seen, don't put pictures of her on FB.

I think you're being unreasonable.

I replied to the post of a content creator recently and we got chatting. She's (IMO) a very good creator and balanced about what she shares online, but has stopped showing her sons face because someone has taken all her posts, created a new account sharing it all with really creepy captions about how much they love her son! Another person I follow had their child approached in the playground by an adult with seemingly no kids, who had recognised them from online. There's so much of this out there and although it's not talked about much (presumably so these people don't get the airtime they crave!) I support however parents want to try protect their kids, even if it's not how I choose to do it.

That’s sort of how I feel - absolutely your choice not to share photos of your child but the covering their faces seems so precious and annoying.

So in those instances @LittleRedRidingHoody , surely you’d just … not show your kids?

YANBU

I see this with random Facebook acquaintances too, not even influencers or businesses. It’s so “look at me look at me I have a child! You’re not important enough to see their face though!”.

Share the photos in the family WhatsApp group then 🤷‍♀️ Not sure why your random Facebook friends need to see a headless toddler on a slide

I think you’ve articulated why it annoys me so much 😂 as if I’m desperate to see their child so it must be concealed to save them from my nosiness.

It's ridiculous, either don't post your kids or post them.

Honestly makes my eyes roll... every time!

Agree, it's performative.

You either don't have pictures of your kids on social media at all, or do something like take the picture from behind or some other trick to hide the child's face.

Sticking a fecking emoji over them is all "LOOK AT ME!!! I'm the BESTEST mummy who cares so muych about my little famalam".

Idiots.

I agree it’s weird. I know someone who will post a photo of their child and other peoples children but only cover their own child’s face. Fair enough if the other childrens parents choose to post them but if you were posting it yourself and covering your own child’s face then at least cover the others too (or just don’t post the photo).

@yellowpinkbluegreenlilac well yes, that's what I chose to do. But for people who want to share more, I can't get worked up over the stickers/emblems. Everyone does what feels like the best decision for their families. It just seems like this is another way to judge parents and I've definitely had enough of that 😂

I agree really. It would make sense if social media was mandatory - but you literally don’t have to post what you’ve been up to. You can just not post. Or, if you must, choose a pic that either doesn’t have your child in, or one that naturally doesn’t have their face in, eg a back of head looking at view shot.

I’m not judging them as parents, I’m saying this particular habit is irritating and pointless.

I do it because I'm sharing updates on my life with the family & friends who follow me on SM, my child is a significant part of my life and the activities I do but is too young to consent to having their face shared on SM.

My approach is 1. No photos of child 2. back of head etc 3. If 1&2 not available, cover face. I don't see why that would annoy anyone and suggest it says more about you than the people sharing!

What does it suggest about me; that I’m not interested in seeing a headless child?

Seriously, it’s obviously your choice but it’s such a daft and pointless thing to do. You’re quite right that your child isn’t old enough to consent to be on social media and that’s a perfectly reasonable stance - so if that’s your view don’t post photos of your child on social media.

What baffles me is when a person shares a photo of a child with a sticker over their face on a group, but then their profile photo has normal pictures of their child… I was a member of one of the car seat advice groups previously and used to see this a lot and I found it baffling.

Oh, the car seat groups love a smiley emoji over the face of the child.

Agree it’s performative and I do it 🤣

Yes I want to share what I’m up to with my kids but no, I don’t want to risk someone using their image after reading about the “mood swing” child.

It's ridiculous either don't post photos on social media or take photos from behind. Also don't have social media "friends" you don't know

Oh interesting. I love threads like these because totally different vp to me but get where youre coming from.

I do this. I am not a prolific SM user. I like and comment on others as its a great way to stay in touch but Im doing well if I post 4 times a year lol. I posted a few pictures while my LO was a baby as all babies look like adorable but indistinguishable potatoes. However now if hes in a shot I will cover his face.

My reasoning is its my social media, it is private but theres still several hundred on there including uni people, old colleagues etc. He hasnt consented, the image is still out there, i dont know what his views will be on this and I think our attitudes to SM are evolving quickly. I recently posted to celebrate my husbands milestone with his permission and consent but covered LO face as he couldn't give that.

Its not that I view him as particularly special or that people care at all about what he looks like or would think anything off it. However privacy rights, rights to our own image, our digital footprint are all important upcoming battle grounds and small efforts make a difference.

Yeah I don’t really get this either, it’s not the only way of updating your friends and family on your life, phone people and tell them anything important! SM isn’t compulsory for all.
If you want the privacy I don’t get why you just don’t share them at all.

I'm with you, along with birth announcements where they show a hand or a foot! Just don't post pics of the kid in the first place!

I don't share pictures of my kids but equally I don't really post on SM so not being able to use pictures with them doesn't impact me at all. I guess if you like to post a lot and you are typically doing stuff with your kids then I can see why people might use stickers to solve the problem that basically all your photos have your kids in them. Can't see why it would annoy anyone tbh.

My approach is 1. No photos of child 2. back of head etc 3. If 1&2 not available, cover face. I don't see why that would annoy anyone and suggest it says more about you than the people sharing!

Or just, you know, not post a picture or choose one without any people in it at all?

This really annoys me too! Either post your child on SM or don't! I don't really get it.

I find it draws attention to the child in a way it wouldn’t if it was just a standard photo to be honest.

Exactly this. It's another option when 1 & 2 don't work. If you don't like what someone posts, unfollow them.