Protecting Children's Privacy Online: Safety Tips, Privacy Risks and Digital Footprint Protection

Article overview

• Understanding the importance of protecting your family’s personal information in today’s digital world.

• Increasing risks of identity theft and online privacy breaches.

• How your family’s data can be exposed online. 

• Using identity theft protection tools and services.

• Staying informed about online risks.

• Sharing photos of your kids

• Key considerations when sharing pictures and stories of your children. 

• Balancing visibility on social media with the need for privacy.

• Safe social media practices for parents

Sharing photos of children online is a topic of heated debate. Some parents, for safety and privacy reasons, avoid posting photos of their children online altogether, while others enjoy sharing meaningful moments with far-off family and friends.  

What are the pros and cons? 

The term “sharenting” describes the growing habit many parents have of sharing photos, videos or other information about their children online. One study by Security.org showed that two-thirds of parents shared photos and videos of their kids. If you are wondering, "Is it even safe to post pictures of your kids online?", it is important to weigh the connection against the risks.

The benefits of sharing

Proponents argue that sharing kids' photos online helps them stay connected with loved ones, celebrate milestones and create a digital scrapbook of memories. Grandparents who live far away especially cherish the opportunity to relive these special moments. 

The risks: Identity theft and deepfakes

But with the good, comes the bad. And many parents share data about their kids online without knowing associated risks like identity theft, image misuse and unintended exposure to strangers.

Identity theft

Take, for example, a birthday photo. It may seem like a harmless update, but the post likely reveals the child’s name, age and date of birth. That key information sets potential fraudsters on their way, making the child a target for identity theft. And since most minors don't have credit yet associated with their Social Security numbers, if the information makes it into the wrong hands, that data could be used to open new, fraudulent lines of credit.  

Deepfakes

Using advanced AI, bad actors can now create highly realistic but entirely fake videos or images. Because the technology has become so sophisticated, it’s often hard to tell what’s real and what’s a fabrication.

A simple photo or video shared online can be manipulated to create deepfake content, leading to serious issues like:

• Cyberbullying: Fake videos used to embarrass or target children.

• Harassment: Sophisticated forgeries used to intimidate.

• Exploitation: Personal media being repurposed for malicious intent.

To ensure online safety for families, you must stay vigilant about what you share and talk to your kids about recognizing suspicious content.

5 safety tips for parents 

If you plan on sharing kids' photos online, follow these kids online safety tips to minimize risk:

1. Adjust your privacy settings: Use safe social media practices for parents by controlling who sees your posts. On Facebook, users can adjust the intended audience for individual photos, albums or the entire profile by changing privacy settings to "Friends," a specific group or "Only Me," meaning only the user can see the posts.   
2. Be very selective: According to the Department of Justice, parents, guardians and teachers should avoid sharing personal information, such as photos and videos, online in public forums or with people they do not know in real life. Use strong discernment before accepting connection requests.
3. Don’t include identifiers: When protecting children’s privacy online, never include full names, school names or locations in your posts. These details give predators access to your child’s location and personal information.
4. Watermark your photos: Watermarking is the process of overlaying a logo or signature to a photo in order to properly identify the creator. While it doesn’t fully deter potential misuse of images, it makes stealing or claiming them a bit more difficult. Use a program like Photoshop or Canva to add watermarks to your photos.
5. Talk with your kids: Unlike that old family Polaroid you were once able to throw on a bonfire, online photos never really disappear. Explain that online photos create a permanent digital footprint. Teaching them early is one of the most effective tips for parents on online privacy for children.

Consent and respect: Protecting your child’s digital footprint

Before your child is old enough to engage online, it’s important to consider how the decisions you make now may impact their future feelings about their digital presence. Sharing photos or personal details about your child online without their consent can create an online identity they may not be comfortable with later in life. While they might be too young to understand or make these decisions now, practicing restraint and mindfulness in what you post is a way to show respect for their autonomy in the future.

Protecting your child’s digital footprint means considering how they might feel about their online identity years from now. Avoid photos or information that could embarrass them, compromise their safety or create unintended consequences. By keeping their privacy in mind and modeling thoughtful online behavior, you can set the stage for productive conversations about consent and digital responsibility as they grow older. Respecting their future right to shape their own online identity is one of the most impactful ways you can protect them.

How Experian can help protect your family’s privacy online

Protecting your child’s privacy online doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Experian offers tools to help, including their PMID Complete service, which provides powerful child identity monitoring benefits. 

With ProtectMyID Complete, you can keep a watchful eye on your child’s name and Social Security number to detect signs of identity theft on websites known for illegally buying and selling personal information. It also includes social media monitoring, scanning your child’s social media accounts to alert you of privacy or reputational risks on their profiles. 

These features, combined with Experian’s identity theft protection services that monitor the dark web and provide real-time alerts, help you maintain online safety for families. You’ll also have access to fraud resolution support if suspicious activity is found. 

AAA Members can access Experian's identity theft protection services for free with membership but upgrading to PMID Complete offers extra peace of mind for parents who want a proactive approach to safeguarding their family’s personal information. In today’s digital world, taking these steps is more important than ever to create a safer online environment for your loved ones.