We all love showing our online followers the progress of our children by posting their photos or videos on various social media platforms.

Some will share the photos or videos of their children making their first step, trying food for the first time or even conversing with their children.

However, this so-called ‘sharenting’ doesn’t come without its risks.

Trevor Cooke, the online privacy expert at EarthWeb, says, “Criminals can use your child’s image and shared details to create fake profiles and fabricate an online identity. They can then set up unauthorized accounts, apply for credit, and conduct other activities under their name.”

Below are four reasons why you should think twice before sharing your child’s photo online according to Cooke:

Sexual exploitation

Posting photos, especially of children in swimwear, can attract the attention of sexual predators.

These predators may share or sell the images on dark web forums.

For instance, a parent posting innocent bathtub photos could unknowingly make their child a target for exploitation.

You lose control

When you share a photo on social media, you give the platform permission to use it.

Even with strict privacy settings, the image could be stolen or shared without your consent.

For instance, a family vacation photo posted on Facebook could end up being used in an advertisement without your knowledge.

Identity theft

Sharing personal details alongside photos can expose your child to identity theft. For example, a parent might post a picture of their child’s first day of school, inadvertently revealing their full name and location.

This information could be used by cybercriminals to create fake profiles or even apply for credit cards in the child’s name.

It breeds fear

No parent wants a criminal to use the Internet to find out where their child lives and goes to school. Neither do they want strangers featuring their baby photos in ‘baby role-play’ – a concerning new development on Instagram. Trevor says, ‘If you don’t post the pictures, there’s no need to worry. Keeping your pictures private will provide you with an invaluable gift: peace of mind.’

Others argue that children themselves are the only ones with the right to decide what happens to their own image, and their parents posting pictures of them violates that right. Trevor says, ‘If you always put their interests at the forefront, you’ll never regret it.’