What parents should consider before sharing photos of their children online

Yahoo

a day ago

While Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have previously shared official portraits of their two children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, they have chosen to keep both out of the spotlight since their departure from royal duties and move to California in 2020.
But, coinciding with the release of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, earlier this year, the Duchess of Sussex returned to social media – offering fans a snapshot of her family's new life in the Golden State.
The first tidbit Meghan shared was part of a tribute to her late dog Guy, where both Archie and Lili could be seen playing with the pup, and audio of them talking could be heard alongside the backing track.
Then, we later saw snippets of the children in a Reel of Meghan making biscuits with friends. She also previously shared a video on Instagram Stories, showing her and Lili wearing matching beekeeping outfits as they approached a beehive.
Today, celebrating her daughter's fourth birthday, Meghan posted two black-and-white images of them both – one taken recently, the other of when she had just given birth.
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A post shared by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (@meghan)
In all of these pictures, though, she has chosen to keep her children's faces out of shot or obscured to protect their identities.
Of course, Meghan and Harry have both expressed their desire for privacy over the years, instead choosing what, when and how they share information with the public (for the most part). But, they're not the only parents who choose to shield their kids' faces when sharing photos and videos online.
This is becoming a particularly pertinent trend among parents since various updates to data-sharing policies and Meta's announcement that it would be using certain user images and content to help train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Even so, "sharenting" – the movement of parents sharing content of their kids online – has long been a hot topic of debate. Some argue that social media allows them to connect with other parents and similar communities, as well as give updates to family and friends. But others brandish the exercise as irresponsible and exploitative – and that's before we even get to kids having access to their own social media accounts and how to navigate that.
So, here's what you need to know.
First things first, it's important to understand what tech companies can do with images and information. Dr Jason Nurse, a reader of cyber security at the University of Kent, tells Yahoo UK that, depending on the social media platform, there is a risk that images can be shared and used in different ways.
He explains: "Companies don't usually 'own' the pictures uploaded to them. Rather, by uploading photos, we are typically agreeing to grant the platform a licence to use our content. This could include obvious actions, such as displaying content on one's profile page, but it may also allow them to use a person's content for other purposes.
"This doesn't necessarily mean that photos will appear in other places online (e.g. in advertisements), but it is wise to always read the terms of service before using social media sites," he adds.
Developer OpenAI, for example, has previously confirmed that it uses copyrighted material and data from the internet in order to train its chatbot, ChatGPT. Snapchat has also said that by using its AI-generated selfie feature, users' images may be used in ads and sponsored content.
Dr Nurse says that while some platforms may have different rules, generally speaking, private settings are more of a safeguard when it comes to protecting your content, particularly if you're worried about sharing pictures of your children.
"For some, private accounts primarily control which other individuals on (or off) the platform can view posts or photos. This therefore may not naturally translate to greater restrictions on social media platforms," he explains. "For others, setting photos or posts to private may afford users a higher level of privacy even in terms of their use by the platform itself; this has been discussed especially around private posts, with some platforms like X confirming that such posts are not used to train AI."
Additional online safety threats, according to Dr Nurse, include photo misuse and exploitation and privacy violation.
"Sharing photos of children exposes them to this long before they are even able to curate their own digital presence," he adds. "Shielding their faces, as Meghan has done, can be a good way to protect their identities, as our faces are our most distinguishing features."
Jenny Warwick, a BACP-accredited counsellor who specialises in providing support for parents and carers of adolescents and teenagers, stresses: "Once images are online and 'out there' – they are 'out there'. They become widely accessible and can be downloaded, altered, shared and circulated without your consent. Even the most innocent photos can be exploited and misused by people whose intention is not innocent. It's a horrible thought, but unfortunately, it's a reality that highlights the potential for harm."
She adds: "Additionally, due to the long-lasting and often permanent imprint of digital footprints, your children are inheriting an online presence that they have not or could not have chosen, which can impact their futures. It also opens up the risk of identity theft as personal information, such as full names, locations, or school uniforms, for example, can be used fraudulently."
While Warwick understands the motivation behind posting can range from pride and love to a desire to feel less lonely, she says it's important to assess what can happen beyond the immediate post.
She says: "Sharing our children's milestones helps boost a sense of connection and community, so we feel supported and less alone. We want to keep memories of our kids' childhood, and social media platforms make it easy to create a digital scrapbook or diary. Plus, likes, comments and engagement can give a sense of validation and social approval, which feels rewarding.
"But when sharing about your child online, consider their future feelings by asking yourself if you would want this information or content shared about you. Avoid posting personal details like full names, school names, locations or dates of birth."
"Ask yourself if the content could be misinterpreted or misused, particularly in the case of photos taken at bath time, the beach or during emotionally vulnerable moments," Warwick continues. "While sharing humorous or cute content might feel fun, ask yourself if this is respecting your child's dignity. Is this something they might feel embarrassed or ashamed of if they were aware of it? Ask your child how they feel about a photo being shared. Even very young children can express their consent or dissent."
Warwick warns that, while sharing pictures can build a sense of family connection and pride if done mindfully, children may also feel pressure to "perform" for the camera rather than just being themselves.
"They may feel embarrassed or ashamed – particularly if their private or vulnerable moments are made public," she says. "If they're feeling overly scrutinised or 'known' online, this can impact their mental health, and they may develop anxiety or challenges with their identity."
She adds: "If your children discover that things were shared without their knowledge, they might feel betrayed, undermining their trust in caregivers to prioritise their well-being. Plus, when their boundaries and consent aren't considered, they will struggle with boundaries and distinguishing between public and private in their own lives."
Finally, Dr Nurse advises: "I would always suggest parents consider the implications of sharing such photos, and weigh them up against the risks. If sharing is deemed appropriate, it's really important for parents to limit what's included in the photos of children and who can access them.
"Ideally, I suggest always limiting viewing to a small circle of family members or friends, and asking them never to re-share photos without your consent."
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