What is the recommended age for a child to use social media platforms?

It’s recommended that children should be at least 18 years old to create a profile on social media platforms. However, as per the DPDP Act by the Ministry of India, children under 18 can join only with parental consent.

How should parents introduce social media to their growing child?

Try to introduce one social media platform at a time to help them understand its usage correctly. Furthermore, consistently monitor the type of content they engage with, the time spent, and how often they interact.

Social Media & Babies: Privacy, Safety, and Digital Footprints

You’ve just shared your baby’s adorable smile on Instagram, and within a few minutes, hearts, likes, and positive comments are pouring in! As a parent, it does feel great and joyful to watch the same post again and again!

But what if someone (that you don’t even know) is secretly watching all your baby’s activities? What if somebody’s constantly checking your location (when you come in & go out) to figure out your absence? What if your child gets exposed to inappropriate content? Sounds scary, doesn’t it? These questions raise serious concerns about privacy, safety, and the digital footprints we’re creating for our children!

Thus, understanding the risks and safety tips is of utmost importance in such scenarios to protect your baby from the dark side of social media.

What Happens if Parents Don’t Understand a Digital Footprint?

Digital footprints are basically of two types: Active digital footprint (information shared online via posts, comments, and pictures) and a passive digital footprint (automatically generated data based on search history). Generally, parents unknowingly leave unmanaged digital footprints that may put their child at risk. Here are some of the risks and situations that may happen if you don’t completely understand the digital footprints.

Cyberbullying

Love posting your baby’s pictures? Think again! Consistently posting about your child on social media (without profile locking) gives an open invitation to unwanted strangers. These people look into the profile and put some negative or provocative comments, which can hamper your child’s mental health. Furthermore, in offline scenarios, they might try to attract your baby with their favourite candy (as seen in online pictures) and take advantage of the situation when you're not around.

Privacy Concerns

Your baby is growing up now, and going to a play school is the first step towards their growth. Just like every parent, you’re happy and have decided to put some good pics of them in the appropriate dress code. The moment you share details like the name of the school or location, it puts your child at imminent risk of theft.

Tip: If you love keeping memories of your baby, use private platforms like Google Photos & iCloud.

Victim of Jokes

Though jokes are quite normal among kids, they can be serious if they go too far about the dress sense (randomly shared in a post). If a child is growing, some lame jokes might hit them hard, which can shatter their self-esteem and confidence in the long run.

How to Protect Your Baby from the Dark Digital Footprints?

Cutting off the connection between your baby and social media isn’t the solution! Every parent loves to cherish and make moments memorable. Though sharing isn’t bad, you just need to keep a few things in mind for improved privacy and safety.

Modify the Privacy Settings

Are you about to leave an active digital footprint via your baby’s pictures or videos? If so, don’t forget to limit your social audience to close friends and family to keep strangers at bay. Although you love to get your little one recognised, always avoid public accounts for baby-related posts. Furthermore, try to disable photo tagging or the face recognition feature to maintain your privacy.

Don’t Share Personal Identifiers

Now, you know how to protect your privacy? It’s time to take a step ahead in things to take care of. You never know what’s stalking you on the internet! Posting about your kid’s full names, birth dates, or school name gives strangers an abundant piece of information that they can use against you. Furthermore, avoid posting pictures or videos that reveal your street, lane, or house numbers.

Consider Emotional Health

With both factors in mind, you post your baby’s pictures, great! But what if the photos are not okay to be viewed when the child grows up? Thus, always avoid posting content that could be embarrassing or overly personal, as your baby might not feel comfortable viewing it later in their life.

Note: To find out whether the picture is appropriate or not, ask yourself, “If I were at the baby’s place, will this photo or video feel okay?”

Regular Monitoring of Your Own Digital Footprint

Now, you understand the safety factors to keep your baby protected! It’s time to monitor your digital footprint to prevent your baby from getting exposed to inappropriate content. If, as a parent, your browsing history is not so relevant or bombarded with irrelevant or harmful content, there are significant chances your kid might see it the moment they scroll through your social media feed.

On the other hand, if your child learns scrolling through their phone, always check their search history, saved bookmarks, and more to keep them away from useless content.

Like every parent, it’s common to get scared due to the rising cases of theft and other illegal online activities. However, it’s not too early or too late to understand these risks and safety measures. Implementing these safety steps will provide your baby with a safe and secure way to begin their journey. Even when the child asks for a smartphone, you’ll have peace of mind, knowing all the tips and tricks beforehand.

Whether you’re pregnant, a new mom, or navigating postpartum, you don’t have to do it alone. Join our support group to connect, share, and support one another.

FAQs on Social Media & Babies: Privacy, Safety, and Digital Footprints

What is the recommended age for a child to use social media platforms?
It’s recommended that children should be at least 18 years old to create a profile on social media platforms. However, as per the DPDP Act by the Ministry of India, children under 18 can join only with parental consent.
How should parents introduce social media to their growing child?
Try to introduce one social media platform at a time to help them understand its usage correctly. Furthermore, consistently monitor the type of content they engage with, the time spent, and how often they interact.