Issue 12: Photograph or Information?

What are you really sharing when you post a picture of your child online?

You might see a photograph of your child. Someone else might see information.

A school uniform. The front of your house. A football jersey. A familiar route. A name on a school bag.

None of these details feels particularly worrying when you are looking at a photograph of your own child.

You know the child. You know the school. You know the house. You know the people in the photograph.

And that is the point. When we look at photographs of our children, we see the moment. We see the memories, the people we love and the reasons we wanted to capture it in the first place.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to share those moments.

But before you press ‘post’, it is worth looking at the photograph again.

A school uniform might identify your child’s school. A house number might reveal where you live. A sports jersey might identify the club your child attends.

Why does it matter now?

You might be thinking, “But we did not think twice about sharing photographs in the 2010s. Why should we worry now?”

The digital world has changed.

The way images can be copied, altered, analysed and shared has changed too. AI has added another layer to this.

Today, images can be manipulated. Faces can be altered. Convincing deepfakes can be created and used for harmful purposes with relatively little technical knowledge.

That does not mean we should be frightened of every photograph we take. It means we should be more thoughtful about the photographs we put online.

“But my account is private.”

I get it. That is often the first reassurance we give ourselves.

But when was the last time you checked your Instagram followers? When did you last look through your Facebook friends? Are all of those people still people you know and trust?

How many people have access to your content simply because you accepted a request years ago?

And what happens when someone you trust shares your photograph with someone else?

A private account can reduce who has access to an image. It cannot guarantee that the image will remain private.

So, what can we do? 

Should we stop sharing photographs of our children altogether?

Not really. I would say, share differently.

If a photograph is really for your family, send it privately. If grandparents want to see photographs, send them directly. If relatives receive photographs, ask them not to repost them without checking with you first.

Before you press ‘post’

Before posting publicly, take a moment to look at the whole photograph.

What can you see in the background?

What does the child’s clothing tell you?

Does the caption reveal where they are?

Does it reveal where they will be?

Does everyone who can see the photograph really need to see it?

We cannot remove every risk. Screenshots can be taken. Images can be shared without our permission. No privacy setting can guarantee complete protection.

But we can reduce how much information we put into the world in the first place.

Hi, I am Shri, the Operations and Strategy Executive at DCE Dyslexia and a Cybersecurity & Digital Safety Specialist. With a background in computer engineering and an MSc in Computer Science from UCD, my journey has taken me through cyber security, teaching coding, podcasting, campus radio, and volunteering as Marketing Lead for Women in Cyber Security Ireland.

I have always enjoyed exploring new ideas and taking on different challenges. Joining DCE Dyslexia has given me the opportunity to bring my skills and experience into work that feels truly meaningful!

~ Shri, The Cybersecurity & Digital Safety Specialist