Warning to parents. Do not post photos of your children on the internet, because you can seriously harm them

During the holidays, social media is flooded with photos from family trips. A new batch of photos of children of all ages is hitting the internet, and parents are losing control over how these photos can be used. Experts are warning against so-called sharenting, or sharing photos of children on the internet.

Experts emphasize the need to think carefully about publishing photos of children. “Before we click ‘send,’ it is worth considering whether we want someone to look at our child with inappropriate intentions,” says Katarzyna Staciwa from the Dyżurnet.pl team, operating within NASK.

Every day, around 500 million photos are uploaded to the Internet, many of them family photos. Parents document their children’s development and brag about their achievements, unaware of the dangers.

Martyna Różycka, head of the Dyżurnet.pl team, draws attention to the loss of control over materials after they are published. “When we publish a photo or video, we lose control over it. Criminals can use them in an undesirable way.” Technology such as deepfake or deepnude applications allows for the manipulation of images, which increases the risk of their misuse,” she says.

To help parents decide whether to post photos, experts recommend asking yourself a few questions:

• Why do you want to post a photo of your child?

• Do you control who can see them?

• Is this publication safe for your child?

• Would you like it if someone posted a similar photo about you?

• Does the material cause your child embarrassment or shame now or in the future?

• Are you sure you want your child’s photo or information to become part of their digital footprint online?

In the age of developing technology, parents should approach the publication of their children’s photos on the web with great caution. Experts warn of the dangers of sharing, emphasizing that once published, photos can be used in a way that is not intended by the parents. A responsible approach to this topic can protect children from potential dangers.