23.8.11

Kids on blogs.

pixelkids

I don’t post a huge amount of kiddie photos here, but I am starting to wonder about the ones I do post; as in, should I be posting any at all? This is my blog, & I, as an adult, can post pictures of whatever I like, including myself (whether you like it or not!) in the full knowledge that these posts & these photos, once I hit “publish” will be “out there” in the cavernous space that is the internet for all time, but Punk & Suspence don’t have that choice, they just smile for the camera & I use the pictures here.

pixelbaby

Granted I don’t use them to sell things or exploit them, I use them to share with my bloggy friends what’s going on with us, how my gorgeous offspring are growing, but I am thinking that I shouldn’t, that really, it’s not my choice to make for them; who knows what they’ll think when they’re older & virtually their entire lives have been curated on the internet.

pixeldog

What do you think? “Punky & Me” won’t make much sense without the “Punky” part, eh?

28 comments:

  1. I hear you. I very really have pictures of my kids on th log. Infect last week I put a photo of the small girl up and i think it was the first time I have shown one of their faces on the blog. All you can do is what you are comfortable with - if you aren't using their real names they can always deny it later...

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  2. ... Ahem... righty-0 * pushes sleeves up*

    Interesting food for thought. I had someone email me and tell me that images of my Busy on my blog could be used by pedophiles. GIVE.ME.A.BREAK! Honestly the thought makes me friggin sick but I don't feel as if I am doing anything wrong. This is the same mentality that says kids can't be naked at the beach because pedophiles will take photos of them. Who is doing wrong here? Who are we blaming here? OF COURSE I would be outraged if her image was used in that way but whose fault would it be? mine? No the fault and blame would be with the bastards who do this. not with me. We cannot blame the victim in this. * stepping down from soap box now* ( sorry to use your blog as a platform for my ranting. xx)

    in terms of blogging on a more general basis I agree and sometimes do wonder if Busy has ok'd this as I haven't really asked her. I don't know the answer but the " pedophile" angle is I think ridiculous. I think you are always respectful of your smalls and never humiliate them in any way or make fun of them. I will be interested to see what others say.
    Good post Vic, as always lady.

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  3. For the almost the first year of my blog I didn't put pics of my girls' faces on my blog. It was strange at times when they were modeling dresses I'd made and stuff but I just wasn't sure.
    But after a lot of thought and consideration I decided that I am ok with it. I will never put a photo of them in bathers or semi undress or looking anything but like little kids should look. But the world has changed, they will have online profiles of their own as soon as I let them. I am ok with it.

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  4. To each their own Vic. I respect people's decisions when it comes to deciding what they think is appropriate for the net. I don't worry about it too much I must admit. I am very aware of keeping other people's kids out of photos but that's about it really. I tend to have the same opinion as Cath on this one.

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  5. This is such a grey area I think. I have some concern too. But my favourite blogs are those that show all the faces and welcome us into their little world. These are the real and inspiring blogs to me. I think we each need to decide in our own circumstances what is the best course of action to take. Have to agree with Cath though.

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  6. As long as you're discerning about which images you use - it's your Blog after all.

    Mine (kids) are old enough to decide if they want me to take their photo and are VERY VOCAL if they think I'm going to use them inappropriately (on the Blog) - my last Post featured them quite heavily and this was okay with them because it was a way of sharing time with their Dad - he works away and when he can visits the Blog.

    I am always conscious of putting other childrens images on the blog and will only do this if it's a back view and/or if I've permission from the parents.

    Pixelating for me always infers there's something wrong - like I shouldn't be looking.

    Thanks Vic!

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  7. I've thought the same thing sometimes about putting pics of my kids on my blog. But they are older AND they also have fadebook accounts, so I kind of think it really doesn't make a difference. But if they were smaller, I might feel differently. Adorable pictures, even the ones that are blurred! :) ~Serene

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  8. I do post photos of the kids. What others do with those photos is something I can't control. For me the blog is my record of my children's childhood. I hope one day my kids as adults will look at the blog and remember the good times and get the know the woman their mother is.

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  9. I don't post photos of the girls on my blog anymore. I've got the private one I put them on now. So my public blog is now a 'craft' blog I suppose.

    This is probably because of the non-relationship i have with my parents though... I still feel like they will read anything personal I write/show. And I don't feel comfortable with that!

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  10. Before starting on my bloggy journey I thought long and hard about how much of our children I would share...to date it hasn't been alot but for the sake of family and friends back home I do share pictures of them from time to time. Just do what you are comfortable with.
    Cath is right...the whole pedophile angle is outrageous
    x

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  11. All I can say is, have you seen what teens put on faceb ook? I'm not thinking a few nice bloggy photos are going to do any harm. Much as we'd like to think they care, it seems in the end, they don't actually give a damn.

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  12. I am so glad Kate raised the point about them having their own online profiles one day, it's something that hadn't even crossed my mind, as for the pedophile angle... Well, that's a whole other blog post, isn't it, an unpleasant one at that.

    Jody - I wouldn't normally pixelate even if I decided against posting photos of the kiddos - but just to illustrate my question I thought it appropriate... & the notion of protecting a sausage dog's identity tickled me. ;)

    I've realized that posting pics here isn't any different to posting them on facebook, really, & so long as the photos are appropriate & respectful then I can & should share them. Like Tracy this is a diary of sorts for me & probably the most organized & coherent account of their younger lives my kids are ever going to get, as sad as that may be!

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  13. I'm all for children having rights, but I think you might be going too far, personally. If we treat children like that we'll create a generation of children who sue their parents for even giving birth to them. From my small amount of experience in schools, children know their rights and are not afraid to used them to get their way. the more we give them, the more ammo we provide. it's a very fine line - but what do i know - i don't have kids myself.

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  14. I agree with Cath and Kate, and well you when you commented here too. the photos you post are respectful and done with love, and it's part of your life and as this is about you, and I don't see any real problem in it. I do understand you questioning it though I know I would be the same if I had kids.
    It's funny you should write about this, as I've been thinking about similar issues. I've started working with kids recently and Vic I absolutely love it. But as they aren't my own kids, I am not sure about putting photos up of them on my blog, even though the photos aren't inappropriate, or anything.
    i kinda of feel sad about it, as my blog is journal of such too, of me, and writing about it, without the pics seems strange, so i just leave it out and dont share it, even though it's actually something important about my life right now.
    aw well, but I'd love to know your thoughts on this? do you think my instinct is right? xo

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  15. Great post Vic, I post pics of my smalls, only appropriate pics though. They like to be involved, and I love that. I do not use their names though. I know there is a whole other nasty world out there, and I agree with Cath - I would not be in the wrong by posting pics of my boys. This blog is about my stuff and they are part of my stuff!
    Have a great day
    Jacqueline.

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  16. Hmmmmmm,

    If your uncomfortable...listen to it. Only YOU can answer what is right for YOU.

    Here what I do.....

    I have images of the kids but I don't show their full face image. You'll be hard pressed to figure out what my kids look like but you are well aware that I have them and that they are a major part of our life. WHY? Because they are little and my blog is ultimately about me not them. They don't asked to be written about and I need to respect that.

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  17. I'm just glad you pixelated the pooch!! ;-)

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  19. I think Chunky Chooky's position is very valid. It's thoroughly wrong that parents can be made to feel like villains for sharing their kids' photos.

    I publish photos of my kids on my blog. I even use their real first names. Occasionally it occurs to me that if you combine that with my business name, they aren't anonymous at all.

    However, I do make an effort to conceal where we live. I'm not paranoid about it, but I'm aware of the sense of not advertising where my kids can be found.

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  20. It's a hard one. My sister flat out won't have photos of her daughter anywhere on the internet and then her partner's family post photos of the little one on farcebook. My husband is of the view that everything is on the net whether we want it to be or not. I'm not so sure so only have the odd picture of the kids on the blog and since they have a different last name than mine I try to tell myself that's a start in keeping their identities to themselves.

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  21. My approach is to write/post about the kids in the FULL knowledge that they will one day read/see it.
    I agree with Cath, and take the same approach as Kate - no undress/inappropriate poses etc.

    Rather than see it as their lives curated, I actually love that I have a place that disciplines me into recording the small, everyday (along with the huge important) moments of their young lives. What a fantastic thing for them to look back on when they're older.

    With my eldest (now 14) I never post a photo of her without her permission. Haven't done since I started blogging when she was 11. From that age (or even younger, I'd say by age 9 or 10) the child should have full say on how she is represented online. Same goes with FB too.

    Each to their own. It's a question we all face as parents who blog, and I don't think there's one size fits all approach.

    Great discussion.
    x

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  22. interesting thought. Never really think too much about it actually. I do post pictures of my children too. Now with the internet, we are exposed to the whole world. Especially with facebook. Feels vulnerable sometimes, but guess I don't want to think too negatively about it too.

    Thanks for the reminder. And thanks for leaving a sweet note on my blog too. Have a nice day!

    love,mongs
    mythriftycloset.blogspot.com

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  23. I post pics of my nephews on the blog, but only with permission from their parents.
    I would never post pics of anyone elses kids without their permission, or their parents permission.
    If I take any photos at birthday parties or similar events I make sure to only use photos where faces can't be seen.
    Now that my eldest nephew is in high school, he doesn't really want me posting photos of him anymore anyway! It's just not COOL ha ha.

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  24. I uase pic of my son on my blog. My blog is fairly boring to most but it keeps family who we live away from update (when I do blog) about our goings on.

    I do worry about other blogs where all info about people, where they live, kids names, photos, activity time and places etc are all laid out. It isn't too much trouble for someone to get this information and misuse it.

    I try not to post pcs of others kids unless they are aware of it.

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  25. i would never post pics of my children on my blog..NEVER!!

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  26. i was kidding..right.

    i don't want to see the world, especially the blogging community in a bad way. i know not everyone is nice but i am happy to share my life in pics with my blog friends.
    see. i am a bit different in what i post about, sometimes there are so many things I want to talk about but in reality I don't want to share them with everyone.
    that's why you would probably get to know me or my kids better through emails as I then know who i am talking to.

    so, i agree with the other ladies, i don't want to think of the bad things, but I always show the kids what I have posted and will never post pics of other peoples kids unless I have asked the parent.

    do what makes you comfortable, we all go through the..what if crisis in our heads.

    nice one ♥

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  27. Interesting comments - just popped in, I'm having the same issue on my blog. Husband doesn't want me to post photos and is worried about security.
    Will follow for a while.
    Read you later

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  28. Loving what Cath wrote.
    Here here!

    As for me... I suppose I think of the interweb as similar to walking down the street. It is a public space. So if I'm cool with my kids being like that in public then it is okay on my blog too.

    Really though my feelings vary about the issue all the time. I can be a pretty indecisive parent... so I suppose most of the time I just try to go with my instinct.

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