81% of babies under six months are on social media: 10 reasons not to share their images

The overexposure of children in social networks because of parents' publications has a name: oversharing or sharenting. And technology experts and minors warn of its dangers.

The desire to share endearing moments or the satisfaction of showing the exploits of our children to friends and family, has caused social networks to be filled with photographs and videos of the children of the house, even before birth.

It is understandable, although it is worth reflecting on this widespread practice. According to a study by the computer security firm AVG 81% of babies are already online before their 6th birthday.

Technology experts explain the reasons why we should not share the images of our children.

Too much child overexposure

As explained by the International Family Institute in its report published in July 'Sharenting: the overexposure of children in social networks', 'sharenting' is an anglicism invented by The Wall Street Journal that combines the words 'Compartir' (share) and 'parenting' (paternity). "With this new word we refer to the overexposure suffered by children, usually minors, in the social networks of their parents."

In 2016, the study “Not at the dinner table: parents and children's perspectives on family technology rules”, prepared by the Universities of San Francisco and Michigan, already advanced very worrying data on sharenting: 56% of parents share potentially shameful information about their children, 51% provide data with which they can be found and 27% hang directly inappropriate photos.

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2016 is also a report by the English internet company, Nominet, which indicated that parents publish about 200 photographs of their children under 5 years of age on social media.

And the subject seems to go to more. This year's AVG study, conducted in 10 countries (including Spain), reveals that 23% of children have a presence on the Internet even before birth because their parents publish images of ultrasound during pregnancy.

But is that More than 5% of children under 2 years old have an email account or their own profile on a social network.

It is true that some Instagram accounts, for example, have become a real photo album, with their first smile, their first bathroom, their first steps ... But what we do not realize, as experts warn, is what Those photos can reach unwanted hands. As much privacy as your account has, the photos can be shared by friends and family and we lose them the trail. And everything on the Internet is made public.

Why sharenting can be inadvisable

Jorge Flores, Director of Friendly Screens, explains that:

"Each case is different because the child's age, the type of image, the platform and the way of sharing are very relevant factors when determining whether the practice of sharenting may be inappropriate."

Therefore, he adds, ten considerations that may discourage the sharing of images of our children online, and that any parent, guardian or guardian of a child, girl or adolescent must take into account before doing so.

1_ You have the obligation to take care of your image and privacy, not the right to make arbitrary use of it. Minors also have their rights, which must also be protected in a special way.

2_ Your son or daughter does not earn anything with the publication of the images. Although it may not affect you negatively, the balance will rarely be positive.

3_ You have to ask the parties involved, to the child if he is old and to the other parent, especially if the parents are separated, because they may not agree on what images of their children are shared.

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4_ Find out about privacy conditions of social networks and do not forget to be aware of the changes. Even if you think the photographs are only in sight of the people you choose who can see them, the truth is that it is not so. The social networks themselves acquire rights to the images when they are published. Facebook, for example, ensures in its conditions:

"If you share a photo on Facebook, you give us permission to store it, copy it and share it with others (in accordance with your settings).

You can delete the content or your account at any time to terminate this license. In any case, the content you delete may still be visible if you have shared it with other people and they have not deleted it. "

5_ When in doubt, better to share these children's images through safer and more direct means: instant messages (such as Whatsapp) or email.

6_ More information is usually shared than is seen with the naked eye. An innocent image can contain important context details and even geolocation data.

7_ By sharing the images with other people, they can assume they are not so private. Without bad intention, directly or indirectly, they can expand the reach and even make them public.

8_ What you post escapes your control forever. When something appears on a screen, it is likely to be captured and reused. Sexual harassment is free on the internet.

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9_ Sharing images of other people without their consent is inappropriate. It is not a good example for other family members or for the interested son or daughter when he grows up.

10_ On extreme occasions Family safety can be compromised. In some cases of sexual cyberbullying of minors, victims are threatened with harm to younger siblings.

With these considerations in mind, it is clear that, although social networks are a good tool, they must be used responsibly. And, better if our children are not in them.

We will try to remember it now that the course begins shortly and the Instagram and Facebook accounts will be filled with photos of their first day at school, in the nursery, with uniform, with their backpack ...

Precautions if you still share them

If despite all the risks, you decide to continue uploading photos of your child to social networks, these are good tips to avoid risks:

  • Ask the child for permission before posting any image or video on which he or she appears. If it is very small, try to put yourself in their place and think if they would like that content published or if they would be ashamed.

  • Configure the privacy settings on all platforms and devices so that the images do not reach the wrong eyes.

  • Deactivate the location and geolocation functions so that strangers cannot know where the child is.

  • Try not to show your face and, above all, never hang photographs in which the child appears naked: neither newborn, not at bath time, nor on the beach ...

  • You can activate Google alerts to let you know if your name or your child's name appears on a website, a way to prevent third parties from using the child's information.

Photos | iStock

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