Fam is sharing pic of my baby without consent

[mummy1789]

I'm getting more angry each day. My baby is currently 6 months and on the day of birth (shortly after labour) my only one wish to my husband was to not share our baby's pic and protect him at all cost. It worked for maybe 1st 3 months. Then slowly my husbands family started sharing our pic with his face covered. Then they went full on and now sharing his photos on weekly basis. I was trying to be understanding, my MIL lives miles away, didn't meet the little one so I'm sending her pics and videos daily. I know it makes her happy. And it's their 'thing' to share pic on WhatsApp or Insta stories for all family to see. Bear with me, husbands side of family is counted in hundreds, add up friends - it will make it thousand in contacts. It's making me mad. Once, my MIL accidentally posted video of me with baby on family chat group - 10 ppl. He was laughing but I haven't had my trousers on. Deleted immediately. Few days ago, she posted very cute pic on her story, as soon as I sent her. She said then, so many ppl messaged her asking who's baby is it etcs. Its maybe funny, but I do believe in evil eye, since every time I posted anything, he had crazy tantrum for no reason. My BIL, who visits us once in month at best (lives 15min away) just posted his pic that I have sent him. I texted him that I believe in evil eye so do u have to post it? He said, I prayed blah blah blah don't worry. Im fuming.. I'll stop sending pic to anyone, if anyone want to see him can come over or video call..

I think if you have a more rational reason for not wanting photos on SM people will be more willing to comply. To say you believe in evil eye and every time a photo is shared on SM your baby will have a tantrum will make people eye roll and ignore

@Blinkinbloodyhayfever

so you think it's perfectly normal to think other people posting photos online is causing her 6 month old baby to 'tantrum' and wake in the night?

you don't think she needs help??

What are you worried is going to happen to him from having family members post his pic online OP? It'll be much, much more dangerous for him when he's a teen and on SM himself - that's when you need to worry.

The whole evil eye thing and relating his behaviour to anything other than the fact that's he's a baby is worrying though.

@mummy1789 You made your feelings and boundaries with respect to your child clear and they have been ignored. You have every right, and I mean every right, to be angry. I would be furious, tbh, and I would immediately stop sharing anything with them. Switch to Facetime as others have suggested.

We also asked our families not to share images or vids of our child on social media. I was lucky in that my sister and BIL (who works in internet security) was the first to do this for her children, so at least on one side the boundary was already in place. I don't believe in evil eye, but I do believe in the right to privacy, which as a person in her own right I feel my daughter should have. We decided we should leave it up to our child to decide which images of her are public, as and when she is old enough to understand the implications of having an online presence. Thankfully our wishes have been respected by family so far!

And you're not daft in the slightest to be wary of the internet and its potential to do harm. AI in particular is worrying for parents. I'm guessing that online safety will be a much bigger part of kids' education in future years. I know we'll be devoting a decent amount of time to it with DD at home.

P.S. ignore the posters who are taking issue with your belief in 'evil eye.' That's just ignorance. You are also free to hold whatever belief you choose, and you are also free to allow that belief to affect you and your choices. Where you may need support, is if you feel that belief is contributing to/causing harm (to you or anyone else), which would be true of ANY belief. It doesn't sound to me like that's actually the case, but if you think I'm wrong there, the GP is your first port of call.

Good luck with it all, OP.

Its maybe funny, but I do believe in evil eye, since every time I posted anything, he had crazy tantrum for no reason.

This really is not normal. You need help. And no, saying they is not 'bullying', as some PP has said.

Its about a mother not wanting photos of her baby shared with strangers. Lots of people - millions in fact - have belief systems that I personally find ridiculous but I have the good sense and respect for others to keep my opinions to myself. Everyone who subscribes to a belief system you don't doesn't need therapy, and none of use are entitled to tell someone who believes in something we don't to get a grip and see a therapist. You'll find the world quite a difficult place to navigate if you really can't cope with the fact that some people have a different religion to you @FFSwhatisthis.