Should Parents Be Considering Their Children's Privacy More On Social Media?
By Nicole W.
@things4gotten (477)
United States
May 6, 2018 12:43pm CST
Today I was going through my facebook feed and came across a post regarding the kid of an acquaintance that gave me a bit of a pause. The content was of the usual fair I would expect a mother to be talking about to friends and family; showing her daughter's report card, talking about how her daughter was doing poorly in school until her doctors put her on medication, etc... But then I noticed that it was a public post available for all to see and comment on.
I started wondering then, would this kid really want this stuff to be out in the open now or even later? This instance it wasn't particularly bad news but I started remembering other posts that I have seen over the years of parents detailing every moment in their children's lives and sharing them for anyone in the world to see; Pictures of their child at the dentist, pictures of their kid in a hospital bed after getting sick or hurt or videos after surgery when they are on heavy pain meds and saying potentially embarrassing things, anecdotes that seemed funny at the time to the parent but probably would make them blush later... Though not posted with bad intentions, all of these things could possibly follow a kid into adulthood.
Admittedly, I don't have children myself. And perhaps as an adult that grew up in an age without social media I am ill fitted to be trying to understand the feelings of a generation growing up in an age of technology so different from my own where more and more things are open to be shared with the public, but I do think some matters of your kid's life should probably be kept private or left to family and friends. Not everything should be thrown into the spotlight. Thinking back to my middle school and high school years in particular, I would have been absolutely terrified of my peers getting their hands on some of the things I see.
So what do you guys think? Do some parents go a little too far in sharing the lives of their family? For parents, how much do you tend to share with others publicly if you share anything at all?
10 people like this
11 responses
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
6 May 18
If I have a kid, I will not post much pictures or maybe none at all to protect his identity. There are events that happened which the pictures of the child were being used.
3 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
7 May 18
@things4gotten Yes, that should be the way of thinking but some people are just not thinking of their children's protection and safety.
1 person likes this
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
7 May 18
@mlgen1037 I have been running into far too many posts put out there by parents that could even potentially humiliate their kid down the road too. There is not really anything that can be done about it, but sometimes I wish they would give more pause and thought into what they are sending out there.
2 people like this
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
At the very least, if I was a parent I would wait until they were old enough to understand the possible consequences and ask for permission first. Then again, I wouldn't share much of anything beyond immediate family and friends. People they would know themselves.
2 people like this
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
I have thought about it occasionally before, sometimes when my friends end up sharing funny videos or memes. One in particular that stands out in my mind was one where a mother took video of her son just out of surgery and high off of the pain meds. I admit I laughed at some of the things he was saying, but after that I just kind of wondered if that kid got any say on whether or not his mom could post that so it could be shared around like it was.
1 person likes this
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
8 May 18
Its good that you put that much thought into it, especially in regards to the places they go.
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
Many of these kids lives are being put onto the internet for all to see before they have developed a sense of self or are even out of their mother's womb. And I agree, there are far too many weirdos out there that probably shouldn't be given access to that stuff.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
6 May 18
Honestly, I don't think most go too far. Though there are some who do.
But they are their kids, and they can do whatever they want.
So I just move along.
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
6 May 18
@things4gotten thankfully, it isn't something you did, so you don't have to worry about the backlash it could make. (:
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
Most are pretty good about it. But I still encounter things from time to time that make me wonder.
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9311)
• Canada
6 May 18
I share some things but I never mention names or post photos. Many of my facebook friends are family anyway. They know who they are. 
2 people like this
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
Most of my friends do the same, and I try to keep my own facebook limited to friends that I have met in person (No one in my family uses it). The person that made me consider this discussion is a bit more open though. And I have run into a lot of parents who are as well.
2 people like this
@Tina30219 (81536)
• Onaway, Michigan
6 May 18
As for parents and them monitoring their children’s Facebook book I think they have every right to do so and I don’t think they overdo it. Kids now a days can get into a lot of trouble on Facebook
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
6 May 18
Well, I do agree they should be monitored by their parents. But I was talking about what parents share publicly without thinking. Sometimes it isn't just cute/funny videos and pictures, but moments in their life they might not want or feel comfortable being out in the open or shared with the entire world.
@carebear29 (31961)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
7 May 18
my son is 6 and dont have facebook but i do like to talk about him
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
8 May 18
Parents talking about their kids to the world has become something of a norm these days. I just wonder about some of them and where they draw the line on personal business that doesn't belong out in the public.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79991)
• United States
7 May 18
I think people in general overshare when it comes to social media and don't pay attention to who can see what they post. As for children it's a scary world for them to be growing up in and as a parent they should definitely see what their kids are posting on social media.
@things4gotten (477)
• United States
8 May 18
I agree. Everyone could stand to be a bit more conscious of what they are putting out there, kid and adult alike. It might save them a lot of trouble and embarrassment later especially with how scary the world can be these days.
@Fleura (29219)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 19
I could go on about this.... I totally agree with you, oversharing your own personal information is one thing, oversharing someone else's is a breach of privacy. What happened to the idea of medical confidentiality?? I'm waiting for a slew of court cases in a few years when this generation grows up and sues their parents.
@arunima25 (85691)
• Bangalore, India
11 May 18
I refrain away from posting anything related to my children on any social media. I feel that it unnecessarily awakens their ego and drives them early into adulthood.
