Five tips for posting pics of children online
PARENTS love showing off how cute their children are, which in the social media era means posting photos of them online. However, as tempting as it is to share that adorable photo with Facebook friends, parents should remember to put their child’s needs first.
The German Children’s Fund (DKHW) recommends these five basic rules:
Have a chat: Children who are old enough should be allowed to participate in the decision-making process, says DKHW. Parents can discuss reasons for and against publishing a picture, teaching their kids how to share photos and personal data online in a responsible manner from the very beginning.
Leave out details: The child’s full name should never be published with the photo. Places such as the kindergarten, school or home shouldn’t be identifiable in the picture. Parents should also exercise restraint when it comes to comments or linking images.
If other children are visible on the picture, photographers need the consent of their parents before publication.
Avoid showing faces: Almost every situation can be depicted without showing the child’s face, simply by taking photos from above or behind, for instance. An emoji covering the face can also protect the privacy of the child.
Avoid embarrassing photos: Children should be clothed in photographs, and pictures of embarrassing or degrading situations should be avoided. No matter how funny they might seem at the moment, pictures showing a child with a smeared face or on the potty could be awkward later in life.
Check security settings: When posting something, parents should check the visibility settings. Can everyone see the picture, or just friends? DKHW advises keeping the circle of people as small as possible.
Parents should also regularly check the basic privacy settings for Facebook and other social media platforms, since they are changed from time to time. – dpa