As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, an innocent picture of Madeline was found on the computer of a pedophile. I talked about it, and my decision to keep posting photos of my kids, on this week’s Momversation.
Momversation: Are Your Kids’ Pictures Safe Online
October 16th, 2010Comments: 13
- Comments: 13
- Posted in: Family and Friends
Heather says:
I think the problem is that you can’t protect them even when you’re standing next to them. It’s horrifying to consider someone objectifying your child, but it can happen just as easily on a playground, an event, a park, their own church or school.
It’s a tough call to make, what do you do?
Expat Mom says:
Sadly, I just had to make the decision to remove all photos of my boys from my blog. It broke my heart, but I had some people who were very angry at me because of another blogger (and the fact that I’m white) and where I live is just too small a community to easily hide if everyone knows what we look like.
Elle says:
I put pics of my daughter up since I started my blog in July but I’ve always been a little leary of it. After what happened to you, it made me realize I needed to look into my options of protecting her pics in some way. I also decided to continue posting photos of my daughter. At least for now.
Jen says:
I have a blog for just my kids and it is set to private/invite only. With so many family and friends all over, it was the easiest (and least expensive) way to keep the photos and stories up to date.
On my blog, I do my best to speak of them as vaguely as possible. I don’t use their names, if I can help it. It’s hard not to include their images because on so many occassions, my children are to blame for stirring me to write. How I share them is up to me. How people interpret the choice to share them is not.
I’ve not been scolded just yet. My little corner of the blogosphere is still pretty new. But should it happen, I’ll know far braver, far more talented and respected people have gone through the fire before. And they’ve lived to write the tale.
Katrina says:
It’s so true that anyone can take pictures of your kids without you even knowing it: at the park, at the beach, at an amusement part, even at another child’s birthday party….and then post them online without you even knowing about it. Or do whatever else they want to do with them. I do post photos of my kids on my blogs. I love having a blog, and my blog is about me and my family — mostly my kids. It would simply be boring if there were no photos to go along with the stories I share.
Jenn says:
When I read your post about the pervert having your sweet, innocent picture I felt SICK!!! Maddie is the poster child for innocence, sweet, perfect. The thought of anyone ever using the sight of her for something indecent is unimaginable to me. I would understand if you chose to take your girls pictures down but if you did, I would honestly miss them so much!!
Even as a stranger, I have fallen in love with your babies and have really grown to care about you and Mike. I wish your family nothing but the BEST!!
I’m so happy and proud of you for NOT letting one sick person stopping you from living your live and for sharing your babies with so many thousands of people who have come to love Maddie and Annie….just like I have.
Megan says:
I have many pictures of my kids on my blog, I use their names. I think at first, it didn’t occur to me that anyone but family would really ever read it. Heather’s story gave me pause, but ultimately, I came to the same conclusion. I want to record their lives, and a big part of that is photos.
Ray says:
Of course, when I first read about what had happened, I thought: By all means if you have to take down every photo of Madeline & Annabel, go RIGHT AHEAD! Because the well being and safety of your children is FAR more important, than pleasing bloggers. I however am glad that you decided against it, and now you have no-right click on your photos. It would be sad to not see photos of Annabel again or Madeline, but I would totally understand why.
J+1 says:
I’d miss seeing pictures of your gorgeous girls, but you have to do what feels right to you.
I blog about my daughter, but I’ve given her a fake name, I don’t post pictures, and I keep details pretty vague. I’m uber-paranoid. I don’t even put her pictures on on Facebook; I have geek friends who have serious concerns about the privacy there, even with filters.
Laura says:
Along the Facebook lines…My profile is set to private, all my photo albums are restricted to friends only, and I am only friends with people I’ve met in person or a few authors of blogs I follow.
But whenever I’m at an event and a picture includes children other than my own daughter, I make it a point to ask the parents if they’re comfortable with my posting the pictures on Facebook. I explain that everything is private, etc., but if the parent is hesitant, I will not post those pictures. I’ve never actually had a parent tell me they’re uncomfortable with it, and the only pictures of groups of kids all involve close friends and their children (and 99% of them have their own Facebook accounts), but I still want to ask. Because I wouldn’t want someone posting pictures of my daughter on Facebook without asking me first.
You never know who is able to access others’ pictures, and I want to extend the same courtesy to my friends and fellow parents that I’d want myself.
Sanya says:
I wish more people were as courteous as you. I decided to quit blogging for these same reasons. My FB is set up like yours, too. I appreciate family & friends wanting to share my daughter’s pics, but I wish some would ask since they don’t have any privacy restrictions activated. So , THANK YOU!
laura says:
I use my childrens pictures on my blog, and i try to watch the site, but I have been trying to find out how to lock the pictures so that no one can right click and save the pictures. (i know a real hacker can get through but it might help deter a few extra people). I am so sorry some stupid person used Maddies picture. BTW your little ones are so darn cute! Thank you for updating us all on this issue.
gugs says:
There is a service that allows to you to see where your picture is being used online – you upload a photo and it tells you where it is being used.
http://www.tineye.com/