Recently I’ve noticed a pretty disturbing trend on my social media accounts. I’ve seen some pictures of naked babies and small children. These aren’t scandalous or perverted pictures, they’re the ‘in the bath’ shots that every parent cherishes and later pulls out to embarrass their teenagers. They’re innocent and sometimes very cute - but have no place in the public domain.
A Mummy Too recently wrote a really interesting post about image theft, and how her pictures have ended up on other sites. The reality is that any image you believe you’re innocently sharing is searchable, and could very easily get into the grubby hands of someone ‘untoward’. Of course there’s all sorts of things you can do to limit the sphere of who can see your content, but the simplest way to avoid it happening is to not do it at all.
If you simply have to share a picture, at least strategically place bubbles or a toy over your child’s bits and bobs, or crop the picture before sending it live. I’d be mortified if someone at Dexter’s playgroup had a nudey picture of me, a photograph of your child could be passed around the playground in a similar way (and this is the least scary prospect).
By the same token, I’d avoid video reviews of bath time products in case your little ones get too excited. I recently stumbled across a case in point where a little boy and girl were excitedly showing everyone their new bath toys in the tub. No attempt was made to censor their bodies at all. It’s too late to simply remove it from Youtube now - someone could have already copied the video.
It really is sad that we live in an age where something so innocent can be so grossly mistreated. I have no doubt whatsoever that the people sharing such pictures and videos are loving parents who have simply acted naively. A quick google search bought up several blogs I regularly read or would like to read - their regular mummy’s like me and have lovely reviews and thoughtful content. I’m very tempted to email them and warn them but don’t want to frighten them or criticise. For obvious reasons I won’t be naming them.
Other parenting blogs will use pseudonyms or nicknames for their children to protect their identities. I’ve not gone down this route but may consider it as Dex gets older. I wouldn’t want him to be teased in the playground and it seems, unfortunately, that some bloggers have been bit on the bum in this way. One mum (who is ordinarily very careful) recently criticised her child’s school and named a teacher - she was admonished by the Headteacher the very next day. It seems we all forget that ourselves sometimes!
So please do think carefully before showing us your gorgeous little people in the buff - save them for their future boyfriends and girlfriends. Better to be safe than sorry.
