Photos of DGC on social media

At my DGC s school they publish a weekly bulletin (there is a username and password to access it) with details of what each class has been working on together with any announcements for the forthcoming week, plus lots of photos of the younger children. So I am able to keep up with their progress and see them in school. As we do not live close by it is wonderful for DH and I to get involved in their lives. When we Skype I can ask the DGC if they enjoyed such and such an activity and for them, it means that they know they we are following their progress and care what they are doing. In this sense the technology is invaluable for us.

Sorry that seemed like a rant, but I care greatly about this issue. It's actually all about being sensible. Think before you post.

Some children are clever in the way they bully. The don't have the courage to do it face to face, but it is so easy to do it anonymously online or by text. They can be very cruel, as I can testify.
I managed the school website. The rule was, no names with pictures, parents had to give permission for photographs to be published, any photos had to be taken at an angle. Those were the rules stated by the local authority.
There were families who had escaped a violent relationship, trying to start a new life and dared not allow pictures to be published online.
It is not paranoia, as some people have stated. Provocative pictures are also not the issue, as some posters seem to think. It is about seeing the wider picture and protecting children. If you had extensive training and experience in internet safety and child protection , you would understand why some of us are "paranoid" about posting pictures of children on social media.

Yorkshiregal the story about the children in the class giving their classmates photo marks out of 10 is strange ! they must see him every school day to comment on his appearance , why is a photograph any different?
As long as the photos are of children fully dressed I don`t see a problem. I don`t know of anyone with children who doesn`t post pics on social media , it is just what they do these days.

Antonia I don't think we can be too careful, none of my GC pictures are on social media.

diamondsgirl - the no pics in school thing is partly to protect vulnerable children, for example those who may have had to move for their own safety. I have worked with women escaping domestic abuse and they are generally afraid of the accidental revelation of their location by shared images (in newspapers, online, with friends from other parts of the country).
Some years ago I know of one child being recognised by a distant relation which led a few months later to the discovery of the Mum and daughter. It was very very nasty.

Auntiflo - I also don't want to see pictures of me online and don't share them. I wouldn't put up any pics of grandchildren and feel it's an altogether bad idea. I don't post images of my husband or grown up children BUT I do enjoy sharing images and moments via WhatsApp with family abroad and at a distance here in the UK. These are sent to individuals on a personal basis, just as you might have sent them an odd snap years ago.

I suppose it depends on the parents view of consent.
There is no doubt that a young child can't give it, just the same as patients who are ill, and others who are considered 'vulnerable'.

Both my daughter and one of my sons frequently post photos, some of which are less than flattering ones of me. I don't really mind though I would prefer some of the worst ones to remain out of public view. One of the worst was not posted by the family but a Swedish friend, who posted a photo of me in a Tunisian hospital bed with my leg in traction. I didn't even know she had taken it, let alone posted it on FB. ?

Ana, my DIL most certainly does ask people to take photos of her DS down or at least black him out. It has caused a lot of ill-feeling within the family as they think she is a control freak but she says it is up to him if he wants his picture displayed and he is too young to say at the moment. My other DIL is exactly the same. They both worked in childcare so I wondered whether that had influenced them.
Neither mind us sending each other photos but just don't want them on Social Media. I once opened an account on Flickr thinking that would be ok but apparently not. I adore my DGC and love to show them off but would sooner have a good relationship with the DILs than make a fuss about it.

Hi, I know that schools are very strict about not taking photos of children at things like carol concerts or sports day, as some parents object to it, although a blind eye is turned when taking photos of your own.
I often put photos of my 7 DGC on FB, but the controls are very tight on my Settings. I have to say I am not aware of anyone who does not do this, so I would relax, we have so much to worry about nowadays, unless the parents have specifically asked you not to put photos up, I think you can rest easy.

I know I'm not as cute as a kid, but I walked past a newly opened charity shop, and there was a picture of me (along with other photos) in the window, to show people where the money raised goes!
It must have been taken years ago, when I was at a club for adults with disabilities. No permission, nothing!

Sorry to harp on but how will you feel if your child's photo starts appearing here there and everywhere? Facebook have copyright to all photos they say so you could not object What would you say to your child when they come home crying because some bully has had a go at them because of what you put on the internet? It might be ok by you, but what about the feelings and protection of your children?

Has anyone heard of dropbox? You can share your pictures of family on there in safety.

Especially dangerous I think are the maps on Facebook telling the world where you are and what you are doing, and also where you live! Also never put on there that you are going away for two weeks holiday! You might find when you come back that the house has been ransacked. Not safe, and Facebook should have known better.

Keep your little ones safe and that means on line too.

Another God send (Satan sent)gadget for paedos is the 'phone with video. Imagine what kind of things one of these creatures could take and enjoy in his dark place.

I think children have every right to be cross when you put pictures of them on the internet without their consent. I remember on the news one day that a little boy was very unhappy because his Mother put one of him (as Mother's do because they want to show the world what a wonderful little person they are) on the internet. What happened was that some of the children in his class saw it and made fun of him, giving him marks out of ten and he didn't get many marks, which made him upset. So sad.

I know Mothers love to show off their children, but in this day and age who knows what might happen to those photographs. They could be shared around by weirdoes and no-one wants that. Not all Mothers are careful about security and who sees what.

MissAdventure, Probably it didn't matter when you were young because there might not have been an internet then? I was never asked either, but I would have said 'NO' because I do not like having my photograph taken at the best of times. Not that I have two heads or anything, I just blink, or look like a rabbit in the headlights.

What MargaretX said is best remembered and done.

Just out of interest, how is an employer going to find photos of a possible employee when they were a baby?

And why on earth would they want to - what could they tell about their suitability for the job by how cute they looked in their high chair when they were 18 months old?

I would never post photos of my GCs. Employers look up those applying for jobs and it is better that they find nothing of my GCs. I would have hated knowing there were photos of me online when I was thirteen when everything embarrassed me!
I wish people would realise that their beautiful gorgeous babies and toddlers will eventually be adults.

There many sick people out there who have weird fantasies, you would have no idea what they would do with a photo of your grandchild and i wont even go into that but ask yourself this do you want some sick sad person sat in front of their computer pleasuring themselves in front of a snap of your Grandchild ? yes it happens, ask anyone who works to prevent online abuse if they post photos, the answer will be a definite no.

I'm not allowed to put any photos of my grandchildren on social media. My DiL is worried that they might be accessed and circulated inappropriately!

Yes gettingonabit I was about to mention WhatsApp for sharing photos. This is what we do. Create a family only site, invite the people we want to see the photos and post them there. I think this is secure.

Woops.....bad grammar there!! must try harder.

I think it's less to do with paranoia and more to do with common sense and respect, imho. Personally, I've never understood the obsession with taking photos, and I most definitely can't understand the obsession with posting photos online, regardless of whom they are of.

The one thing I really dislike is going about my business, perhaps helping out at an event or something, and having a bloody camera thrust in my face. Why do people assume it's ok? It's not. It's rude and disrespectful.

The other thing I detest is for an unsolicited picture to appear on FB "tagged" with my identity. How rude is that! Why can't people just respect another person's right to privacy?

Actually, I think older people are far more thoughtless about posting pictures on FB than the younger generation. Youngsters have grown up with technology and are educated into the pitfalls in a way our generation isn't.

I avoid FB like the plague and if I want to share photos, I do so via Whatsapp, email or text. Simples.

My DD and SIL have insisted that photos of our grandchildren should not be posted to FB or any other social media site. As grannyJillyT says, we don't know who is looking at these photos. Although privacy settings can be put in place, once photos are in the public domain hackers have ways round these settings and who knows where these photos of innocent children end up, I dread to think.