10 Reasons New Parents Don't Share Pics Of Their Kids On Social Media (And 10 Reasons They Do)

Parents today have a lot of new things to deal with that previous generations didn't. Sharing pictures of their children on social media is just one of these responsibilities. When social media was still new, there were no rules for online etiquette. We later discovered that almost everything you post online can be accessible to almost anyone. Yet parents still often share pictures of their children and family. Though some reasons are noble, such as keeping up with relatives and friends who live far away, other parents balk at sharing pictures of their children on social media.

There's also the fact that some parents, and even grandparents, are guilty of baby spam. In addition, there are ethical considerations when it comes to sharing pictures of one's child on social media.

Some of these concerns deal with safety and even identity theft. Other concerns take into account that parents in past generations had no social media to speak of.

Awkward moments were once shared with only a few people and relegated to family albums.

Other parents simply feel they'd rather maintain privacy in some of their familial gatherings. Like any other parental choices, sharing pictures of one's children on social media is contentious. Here are some views from both sides.

First, the reasons parents don't share photos of their kids online...

20 Because Being In The Public Eye Is A Personal Choice

Even celebrity parents have weighed in on the debate over whether or not to share pictures of their children on social media. Some of them choose to sell pictures to magazines or consistently share pictures of their kids on social media. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis famously refuse to share pictures of their children online.

According to Glamour, Kutcher and Kunis don't share pictures of their children online because their children haven't agreed to be famous public figures.

They say their child's private life belongs to them, and that they as parents don't have the right to force this attention on their children.

Lucy Mangan wrote an op-ed for The Telegraph explaining why she doesn't post pictures of her child on social media. Mangan mentioned that she feels oversharing pictures of her child would be annoying. Plus, she also cited the case of an Austrian teenager who sued her parents over violating her privacy by sharing pictures of her social media.

The teenager mentions some extreme examples of how her parents behaved—such as sharing pictures of her sitting on the toilet as a toddler.

Thankfully, some parents refuse to share pictures of their child online in order to keep these "funny" moments in the family.

18 They Aren't Sure Who Might See The Photos

Some parents don't share pictures of their children in order to keep them off the hands of the wrong people. The Huffington Post mentions that up to two-thirds of parents think their child's pictures could end up with unsavory characters.

The article mentions that a woman named Samantha doesn't post pictures of her child online because of her husband's career. He works in law enforcement, and this made Samantha worry about her child's safety.

She added that she doesn't know how social media will bode for her daughter once she becomes an adult.

Plus, Samantha feels much better when taking pictures of her daughter.

17 They Don't Want To Baby Spam

New parents are often accused of talking about the sordid details of their children. Though some people might appreciate these updates, some parents are accused of "baby spam."

Yes, some people want to see adorable updates of their friend's child, niece, nephew, or grandchild. However, a large segment of the population would rather do without copious updates about a mini-human who probably isn't old enough to understand what social media is.

Thankfully, some parents understand this phenomenon and don't post pictures of their child up in an effort to reduce baby spam. Other parents get letters from friends asking them to stop this, according to The Independent. Yikes!

16 To Preserve Private Moments

While some parents feel a-ok with sharing pictures from family vacations and other occasions, others would rather keep these moments private.

Writer Lucy Mangan wrote on The Telegraph about how she feels that some teenagers may feel their parents may have shared too much of their private lives online.

Plus, it helps to keep some things within the family, right? Even if there are no major revelations with each social media post, some people simply wish not to boast about everything online. It can be tough for kids to enjoy moments when they have to pose for every moment right now.

15 Because It May Send A Message That All Images Must be Curated

The Huffington Post mentions that social media is akin to branding. As such, sharing a picture of your child may send the message that everything needs to be curated. TIME Magazine also mentions that it's a good idea to see what a picture or online post might say about a child's reputation. Entrepreneur Magazine even wrote a headline about how everything on social media is fake.

However, having this conversation may be difficult if the parent has already been documenting their child's life. As such, though curating oneself for social media is undesirable, it's important to teach children that they should be thoughtful about their online presence.

14 To Prevent Image Theft

According to The Parenting Place, some parents are rightfully worried that images they post of their kids online might end up at the hands of the wrong people. This is exacerbated by the fact that up to 85% of people don't know how to check their privacy settings, as per The Telegraph.

This concern is not too far-fetched. A report at the National Post shows that deviants tend to share pictures they've found from parents who post pictures of their children on social media.

Unfortunately, some people also take these images and Photoshop them into something else. It's no surprise that some parents would rather keep photos of their children private.

Most parents won't have to worry about their child suing them over the things they post online. Still, their kid might one day be embarrassed over the content of some pictures. Parents of generations past had to worry about their dates seeing awkward pictures of them as a baby.

Is it right to post these online just because the technology is there?

Parents can use their social media use to teach children about consent, as The Huffington Post points out.

This will also allow parents to take their child's opinion into account and avoid future embarrassments.

After all, posting a picture of a child when they're not old in a position to consent is a bit of ethics discussion.

12 To Prevent Identity Theft

According to the Daily Mail, parents who post pictures of their children online may put them at risk of identity theft. This is because they may be posting too much information without knowing that this is what they're doing.

In addition, children and teens today don't remember what it was like before social media. It's important to teach them to keep some information to themselves, and that starts with you!

For example, posting a picture of your child on their birthday could give potential identity thieves pertinent identifying information. This opens up the possibility that a child's identity may be stolen once they become of age. This is yet another reason why some parents refuse to post!

In a Huffington Post article, many parents shared their feelings about how false they perceive people to be on social media. One parent explicitly said they want their child to be authentic. In his words, "We want our kids to be real, and no one is real on social media."

It's important to note that adults and children alike don't seem keen to let the world know they're failing. Most people would rather post happy moments. At least not having a parent focus only on the good is a way to teach children to be mindful about later social media use.

And now the reasons parents do post photos of their children online...

10 To Update Friends And Family

In today's global economy, many families live far away from each other. Maybe they're across town, across the country, or across the globe.

Sharing pictures of one's kids on social media is one way to keep the family connected.

This is the first generation of parents who are able to do this. It's understandable that they want to take advantage.

One parent told the Huffington Post that updating friends and family is precisely one of the main reasons why she shares photos of her child online. And hey, some parents also like brighten their relatives' days by sharing pictures of their child during an adorable moment.

The University of Michigan actually conducted a study on children and how they feel about what their parents post about them online. There were some things children were ok with having their parents post about them. Children between the ages 10 and 17 were interviewed along with their parents.

Children were generally okay with posts that showed their families are happy or that they've achieved something new. The study also said that kids want their parents to ask to ask permission about images at least "sometimes." That's partially because kids don't want their parents to ask them about every single picture!

8 They're Truly Proud Of A Child's Accomplishments

Most parents assume their kids are okay with having them post pictures of an accomplishment in their lives. The University of Michigan's study on children and their parents' use of social media supports this. The study also found that some parents also wish they asked their child for permission to post pictures.

Everyone loves being recognized for good grades, winning a game, or winning a prize.

On the other hand, posting pictures of embarrassing moments, punishments, failures, and even potential significant others are no-nos.

Plus, it's great that some parents want to lavish their child's good work with some praise.

Some social media sites allow children as young as 13 to sign up without a parent's consent. However, many apps have been created for kids to use strictly with their parents' permission.

Kuddle is a good example. It's an app that requires children to sign up with an email that belongs to a parent, according to CBS Philly. It lets parents monitor their child's uploads and make sure strangers don't come into contact with their kid.

The app can make it easier for kids to share pictures on their own social media. Some parents might take this as permission to re-share on their social media profiles.

6 Studies Show Most Children Are Okay With Parents Posting Their Pictures

Many parents are mindful of the kind of pictures of their child they upload. According to Science News, parents should take comfort in knowing that most kids are okay with their use of social media.

Like anyone else, parents need to take their child's preferences into consideration. Children will point out what they like and don't like about what a parent posts about them online.

Respecting this is key to making sure that sharing pictures of your child considers their wishes.

Interestingly, the study found that older parents (ages 50-76) were more likely to consider their child's wishes before posting.

5 Because They Have A Lot Of Restrictions On Who Can See The Pictures

Sharing pictures online doesn't have to mean that everything is public. In fact, one of the safest ways to share pictures of your child online to secure your accounts. Facebook allows parents to make lists of friends, and you can choose to update this list of people only.

Parents Magazine also mentions that one can use their Instagram more privately. People can request to follow you, and parents can also make lists of close friends. This will at least make sure parents only show pictures of their children to people they trust. Some parents only share pictures because they've updated their settings.

4 It's Easier To Post A Birth Announcement There

This kind of goes with updating parents and family quickly, but some parents choose to do a birth announcement and then never post additional pictures. Jennifer Hanley posted an article on the Family Online Safety Institute about a friend who announced her child's birth and included no pictures.

Hanley mentioned that this friend didn't want pictures of her baby plastered all over the internet.

It's true that there's no right or wrong way to go about this, but some parents would rather keep their child's existence private.

Well, after announcing they'll have the child, to begin with. Whatever floats your boat!

3 Only During Some Spare Moments

Some parents share very few pictures of their child online. Writer Rachel Ehrenberg mentions on Science News that she posts pictures of child online if it fits the parameters she and her husband decided on.

To top it off, she doesn't use her real name on her social media in order to reduce risks. Parents who set rules for themselves about what to post are more likely to stay vigilant online. Though some parents post many updates on social media and some post none, it seems that many parents are now starting to choose moderation before posting anything on social media.

2 Because Maybe Baby Spam Is A Talent Of Theirs

Then again, some parents choose to post pictures of their child online using the most creative methods they can think of.

As featured on Bored Panda, Queenie Liao began creating dreamscapes involving one of her babies. The internet actually loved her creations and Liao's posts went viral on various websites.

Many mothers felt that this was a creative way for Queenie to express what she thinks her baby dreams about. The pictures are carefully curated and use many pop culture references that are family-friendly. Liao definitely brought a whole new meaning to "baby spam." But then again, her posts also showed that motherhood doesn't diminish creativity.

1 They Use Their Posts To Teach Their Child About The Digital Age

Amy Webb wrote an article on Slate about how she and her partner chose her daughter's name and then created an array of social media accounts. After this, they proceeded to buy domains with her name.

Webb mentions that this was done to preserve her privacy. Plus, she and her partner don't post anything about her online. Nicola Appleton wrote an essay on Mamma Mia Australia about how she's shared very few pictures of her son online. Even then, Appleton says she wishes she hadn't.

In the same essay, Appleton also wrote about how actress Anne Hathaway shared a picture of her baby online and rethought her decision.

It's ok to change your mind even if you've posted about your child before!

References: scc.ca.gov, seattletimes.com, cbc.ca, todaysparent.com, huffingtonpost.ca, independent.co.uk, nationalpost.com