Parents, please stop sharing your child’s birthday online
As I scroll through Facebook, it’s yet another set of gleeful parents sharing the birth announcement of their new arrival. I’m always extremely happy to share in my friends’ delight. It’s such wonderful news that makes me smile and I simply can’t wait to click the ‘like’ button on the post.
On the other hand, I’m also concerned whenever the parents reveal too much information about their children online. There can be serious consequences like identity theft, kidnapping, and reputation damage if the child’s online presence and privacy are not protected.
Please stop posting your child’s birthday on social media
Identity theft is not a joke. Two common things that are revealed in the announcement of a new baby on Facebook are:
The full name of the child.
The child’s birthday.
If you look at banking portals, shopping accounts, and other online platforms, middle names are often asked as a security question, therefore, revealing that information online may cause serious issues. Revealing birthdays are even more dangerous than other pieces of information, as your birthday is linked to things, like your banking information, medical history, and education portals (among other important things).
Identity theft impacts over 360,000 people in the UK (CIFAS 2019) and children are increasing as the victims of identity fraud according to research by Javelin Strategy.
Other parents are protecting their children
A popular podcast host once commented that she and her husband only ever use a nickname when discussing their child online or in public. Celebrities are known to fiercely protect their children’s image from paparazzi. In California, paparazzi, and others who harass the children of public figures will face stiffer penalties under the new legislation. Some parents even go as far as not disclosing online (or in public) the fact that they have a child to avoid unwanted attention.
A parent asks, “But what if my posts are only shared with close family and friends?”
There are indeed built-in security measures on social media platforms that allow you to choose who gets to view your information and posts. These tools are useful for your protection.
However, there are still some things to consider:
The policies of these platforms can change.
Security leaks do happen.
It’s still very easy for anyone to take a screenshot of your post and share that publicly.
Are you sure that everyone who follows you is someone you can trust now and in the future?
What is your motivation for sharing?
The ultimate question you need to ask yourself is: “Considering the privacy risks, what do I gain from sharing this specific information of my child online?”Consider if it’s essential to share the news of your newborn online? Can this news be shared with close family and friends via private message, phone call, or best of all, in person?
Does the world need to know about your private life?
For some parents who have high-profile jobs such as government officials, celebrities, and influencers, it might be worth it to consider leaving some personal details offline altogether. Does the world need to know your relationship status, children, or pets? There is an undeniable risk of becoming a target for kidnapping. This also goes for children and pets because people can figure out crucial data like your address, your activities, or your children’s school based on the information provided in your posts. Sometimes, all it takes is one picture to tell a stalker everything they need to know to hurt you.
A parent asks, “Should I post photos and videos of my child online?”
The answer is maybe. It’s up to each parent to weigh the pros and cons. Something to consider is that we don’t know how artificial intelligence and facial recognition will evolve in the future. We do know that even AI technology today (such as Google Photos) is capable of identifying the faces of babies, even though their facial features are much less distinct than adults. So, it is more than reasonable to assume that AI will be able to identify your child from a photo or video easily in the future.
Some parents like to post funny embarrassing photos or videos of their children online. But it’s very possible that what’s funny to you won’t be funny to them in the future. Nobody wants an embarrassing photo of themselves on the internet when they are building their personal brands online, applying for their dream college, or dating. Instead, consider sharing those funny, embarrassing photos and videos for your pets; they won’t mind.
A parent asks, “I already shared my child’s information online. What should I do now?”
It sounds like you love your kids and care about their safety. If you’ve already shared your child’s information online, there are still some actions you can take to help keep their identity secure.
Firstly, you should delete any information you don’t want to be sharing right away. Secondly, you should change the way that other people refer to them publicly on social media sites. Instead of using full names or posts that mention dates, just focus on sharing photos and comments with friends who already know all the details.
Additionally, you can make sure that any passwords associated with their social accounts aren't easily guessed and social accounts should be locked or deactivated if they're not in use. Finally, avoid posting unnecessary information about your child like where they go to school because this could make them vulnerable around strangers who know that information.
Building a trusted circle to help protect your child online
The best way to protect your child on the internet is by building trusted relationships. The people you trust are the ones who know what’s going on in your life and they will help make sure that everything is okay. These trusted friends can be a valuable resource for parents, as they can help protect your children’s information online, especially as your child grows older and proceeds to take charge of their own online activities. You can share more intimate details, photos, and videos with this trusted circle of family and friends. For example, you can have a private WhatsApp group of close family with the understanding that no information, photos, or videos shared in the group will leave the group. You can use any messaging app with end-to-end encryption.
Dealing with people who don’t respect your boundaries
It can be difficult to deal with people who do not respect your boundaries. You may find that you need to set clear rules and limits for how much information you are willing to share about your child online. You can also ask these people to stop sharing information about your child without your permission. If they continue to share this information, you may want to consider cutting off these relationships. It's important to remember that you have a right to protect your child's privacy and online presence.
Conclusion: Know you are doing the right thing
So, parents, please don't share your child's birthday online. We're happy for you, but sharing this information isn’t worth the risk of someone stealing your child's identity or kidnapping them. It can be difficult to change the way you post about your kids, but it’s worth the effort because there are significant consequences to oversharing online! Remember you’re an amazing parent and you want to always keep your child’s best interest at heart.
