As online environments, particularly social media, evolve rapidly, there are more things to consider when sharing pictures and videos of your children.
Privacy
As children grow, it’s important they develop online independence and more control over what is shared about them online. Talking to them regularly about online privacy can help better protect them and support safer online independence when it comes to posting pictures or videos.
Our ‘social media’ and ‘sharing images online’ home safety activities include conversation starters and fun family activities that can help get you started.
On most social media platforms, the default settings allow anyone to see the pictures you post, and they could even show up in internet searches. This means people could screenshot, download or share your pictures and videos without you knowing. It’s a good idea to regularly check your privacy settingsto make sure you’re controlling who sees your posts and managing how much information is shared.
Personal information
When you share pictures and videos of your child, you may be giving away more information than you realise. Many phones and apps tag posts and photos with ‘meta-data’ by default, which can include location details and other identifying information. Check your settings before posting to remove this data from your posts. Find tips on how to do this for iPhone, iPad and Android below:
- To remove metadata from photos on iPhone or iPad: photos app > select photo > swipe up or tap ‘i’ icon > select ‘adjust’ then ‘no location’
- To remove metadata from photos on Android: Google photos app > select photo > swipe up or tap three-dot menu > tap ‘edit’ icon next to location info > tap ‘remove location’
- To disable location services from camera app on iPhone or iPad: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > select ‘camera’ > set to ‘never’
- To disable location services from camera app on Android: Settings > Apps > Camera > tap ‘permissions’ > Location > ‘Don’t allow’
If your posts include details like your child’s name, where they go to school, or what activities they’re involved in, it can affect their safety and privacy. Over time, this can create an online record that they may not be comfortable with in the future or that could put them at risk. Before posting consider what the post tells others about your child.
This is especially important for children in vulnerable situations, like those who are fostered or adopted, because sharing their images could expose them to unwanted contact or cause problems in their personal lives. Never post if it could compromise their safety. If you’re unsure, don’t share it.
Risk of Abuse
Once a picture or video is online, it can be misused or shared in ways you didn’t intend. In some cases, they can be copied or used without your permission, even by companies who may use them for advertising.
Photos and videos can be taken by people and used to create other photos and videos. In extreme instances, this may include using ‘nudifying’ apps or Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create nude or sexual images of children (child sexual abuse material, or ‘CSAM’) from their photos.
Child sexual abuse material created using AI is just as illegal as ‘real’ CSAM and should be reported to the police and to the app, network or website hosting it.
The above points should also be considered when posting photos or videos of other peoples’ children. This should never be done without speaking to and gaining the consent of the parent or carer and the child or young person themselves.