Everyone wants to keep their children safe online. Even so, many parents cannot resist posting photos and stories about their kids on social media.
Be aware that your kids will become old enough to Google themselves. Some children who do this become upset and anxious about what they find.
Decades ago, before the age of the internet, parents shared stores and photos of their kids with family members and close friends.
Today, many parents share the same information online. It does not appear that most parents consider how their child would feel about having that information made public.
The Atlantic posted an interesting article about how children react to finding themselves online. Some kids are thrilled to find their old baby photos, school work, or athletic accomplishments on the internet. Many children feel anxious and embarrassed about what their parents shared.
What can parents do to prevent their child’s future anxiety? The easiest thing to do is to simply not post it online. Hand some photos to your family members when you see them. Ask them not to post the photos online.
Another option is to severely limit what you share about your kids. It might be ok to post a photo of a sleepy newborn as an announcement to friends and family. Don’t post stories about how hard it is to potty-train your child.
If your kids are old enough to understand, you should ask them before posting a photo or story about them online. Give them the option to decide if they want that information shared. Respect your child’s feelings if they ask you to delete something you posted online about them.
A study done by AVG noted that a child’s online footprint can start when their parents post their sonogram photo. Parents need to be aware they are creating a digital history of their child that can follow him or he for the rest of their lives.
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