This post frames the practice and is no substitute for legal advice. The core message, though, is uncontroversial: less reach and no location protect reliably.
Two risks, two simple answers
When sharing children's photos there are exactly two relevant risks — and a clear solution for each:
- Reach: a public post is findable by strangers and practically irreversible. → Answer: closed channels instead of public feeds.
- Location: GPS data in the photo reveals home, daycare, playground. → Answer: remove metadata before sharing.
Take these two things to heart and you've solved most of the problem — the rest is judgment and taste.
Controlling reach: closed channels
The difference between "Grandma sees the photo" and "half the internet sees the photo" is the channel:
- Shared albums (Google Photos, iCloud) for a fixed, invited circle — the most convenient solution for regular family updates.
- Direct messages instead of status updates and public posts.
- Small, private groups instead of large open chats — the smaller the circle, the lower the forwarding risk.
Public profiles, open stories, and posts visible to everyone are the worst choice for children's photos — not because something happens immediately, but because you give up control entirely. The same logic applies as when sharing event and party photos: a closed circle beats an open feed.
Removing location: the most important technical step
Phone photos contain GPS coordinates accurate to the meter. For a photo of the child in your own garden that means: your home address. Before a child's photo leaves the closest circle — say into a larger group or a forum — it belongs in the metadata editor: it shows whether GPS data is in there and removes it browser-local, without uploading the image anywhere. The major social networks usually strip EXIF on upload themselves — messengers, email, and cloud folders do not.
The question you ask today for later
The hardest part isn't technical: a child can't consent, and what parents share today the child finds waiting later. Privacy advocates therefore recommend a simple rule of thumb: as an adult, would you be okay with this photo of you circulating publicly? Embarrassing, undressed, or exposing situations belong even in the family circle only with care — and never in open networks. Some families agree not to show the child's face publicly at all; how to do that safely is in Redacting faces and license plates.
Practical short checklist
- Choose the channel: a closed album or direct message, not a public post.
- For a larger circle: remove metadata (GPS).
- Check the subject: nothing exposing, no clues to daycare/school in the image (logos, street signs, jerseys with place names).
- When in doubt: share one photo less — tomorrow's child gets no say.
Frequently asked questions
Am I allowed to put photos of my children online?
As a legal guardian, generally yes — but the child has their own right to their image, which grows with age. What looks cute today may embarrass the teenager later and can hardly be pulled back off the net. Privacy advocates recommend: sparingly, in closed circles, and with regard for the future child.
What is the main risk when sharing children's photos?
Two things: reach (a public post is practically irreversible and findable by strangers) and location (GPS data in the photo can reveal home, daycare, or playground). Both are avoidable — through closed channels and removing the metadata.
How do I remove location from a child's photo?
Before sharing, run the photo through a metadata editor that shows and removes the GPS coordinates. This should run browser-local so the photo isn't uploaded to a third-party server in the process.
Are closed family albums safe?
Considerably safer than public posts, because only invited people have access. Residual risks remain: screenshots by those invited, and storage at the provider. For the family circle they're still the best balance of sharing and protecting.
Sources
UNICEF — Children's rights online · Better Internet for Kids — EU initiative.