Three-quarters of parents put photos of children online
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Nearly three out of four parents share photos of their child on social media. This has emerged from new research by VPNGids.nl, a platform about online privacy, among eight hundred parents. And many parents don’t care too much about privacy and security.
Your child in the playground, in a new outfit, in his diaper on the beach: the majority of parents are happy to share such snapshots on Instagram and Facebook. And in many cases, everyone can watch. More than half of the parents do not shield their social media profile from strangers.
No permission
It makes perfect sense, according to Rachelle Wildeboer Schut, editor-in-chief of VPNGids.nl, that you occasionally share a festive photo of your offspring. “Unfortunately, quite a few parents lose sight of privacy and safety in their enthusiasm,” she tells AD. For example, more than 57 percent of parents do not care if their child is shown with a bare (upper) body. Four in ten parents also do not ask their child’s permission before posting a photo or video online. Until your child is sixteen, you as a parent can decide whether you share something about them online, but you can of course ask for permission earlier. “Your child may be young now, but in fifteen or twenty years they will no longer be,” says Rachelle.
Malicious people
Although the research results do not come as a surprise to Rachelle, she is still shocked. “It amazes me how many parents post bare-chested or completely naked photos,” she says. That sometimes has terrible consequences. “Because half of the parents do not protect their social media accounts, malicious people can easily roam around on them.” Her advice? Share photos and videos online only with family, friends and close acquaintances. “Of course the chance that a pedophile will find pictures of your child is not very great, but it cannot be ruled out. However, you also make children more vulnerable to cyberbullying if you can find everything about them.” It is even better to make your child unrecognizable, for example by photographing it from the back or blurring the face.
Read also: Experts warn: don’t just post a picture of your child on social media
Different opinions
Do you portray your child in a recognizable way on social media? We asked you that on Facebook last year. The answers varied. Miranda responded: “Yes. I think it’s the most normal thing in the world. What someone else does, they must know for themselves, if only I may.” Annelies thinks differently: “No, we won’t. You never know who might misuse the photo. Moreover, I think that when they are older, my children can choose for themselves what they want to share about themselves.”
Read the entire research here.
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