There are various reasons not to post your child on social media
Kids can say some of the funniest and most weird things that seem a little too extra for their age. In excitement or bewilderment, parents feel the need to share these moments on social media. Often, the reason is to evoke a reaction from followers.
Parenting can be challenging and most parents post pictures of their children asking for advice or as a way to connect with friends and family. However, it is important to consider what can happen later as the internet never forgets.
Digital Kidnapping risk
We are all aware of what kidnapping is. But have you heard about digital kidnapping?
Digital kidnapping refers to when a stranger steals the photos of a minor and posts them on social media as their own. They may go the extra mile and give them a new name, introduce hashtags like #adoption #stepchild. They use these to influence their followers into thinking that that is their child.
Additionally, every time children are going back to school, parents post pictures of their children in uniform, in front of the school bus or school gate. This is done to mark educational milestones made by the child and to be grateful for another chapter. Imagine how much information you just gave away? Now combine that with the geotag feature that is included in every image. It exposes the child to great risks.
The post could be used for bullying
The ability to use pseudo names in place of real ones gives people the power to troll, abuse other people, and get away with it. Have you ever seen someone post a picture of their child and what followed was a string of nasty comments?
Nothing gets forgotten or deleted on the internet. When your child is older and able to use social media, what impact will these comments have on their self-esteem?
Invades your child’s privacy
Not every child will grow and enjoy social media as you do. Additionally, after the age of 5, your child will have opinions of their own as well as a different perspective.
They may end up hating all the images that you put up on social media of them as a kid. They may feel like you infringed on their privacy and they have zero say about their bodies.
Creators post a lot of baby videos on Tiktok. These videos include children passing gas or a baby who has soiled their clothes all the way up to the neck. Would you appreciate it if someone posted a picture without your consent?
When children are young, they do not have the ability to disagree with their parents at bath time or at dinner. However, this does not mean that they will not have an opinion a few years down the line.
