My husband and I decided not to post our son's face on social media. It has its challenges, but we think it's worth it.

"Shortly after my son was born earlier this year, my husband and I began gearing ourselves up for a potentially awkward talk with loved ones. Parents, siblings, and friends had come to meet our first baby, and naturally, they took a lot of photos. And while we knew they were eager to boast about their new grandson, nephew, or cousin, we had decided that we didn't want his face on social media."

"We think our son should have a say in his digital footprint, and at this stage of his life, we aren't able to ask him whether he's OK with having an online presence. Until he can let us know how he feels about having private moments shared on social media, we don't feel comfortable making that choice for him. We'll revisit the idea of posting pictures of him once he's able to verbally consent to it."

Parents decided not to post their son's facial photos online until he can consent. The decision prioritized the child's ability to control his digital footprint and aimed to reduce risks such as identity theft, bullying, and harassment. Posting images also begins to build a public narrative that can limit the child's ability to tell his own story. The family experienced practical challenges when relatives took and wanted to share photos, found a compromise involving non-identifying images, and plans to revisit posting once the child can verbally consent.

Read at Business Insider