(image used with permission)

Kids are so darn cute. This cuteness can be completely out of control when a camera — be it video or still — comes into play. Whether it is in their infancy when you catch a magic moment, or a few years later when they ham it up for the photo, kids and cameras can sometimes be the best of buddies.

Technology has made photographing your child easy. Frighteningly easy. Not just for you but for others. Digital cameras, once costing in the hundreds, can be found online for under $10 . Smartphones can capture images that are print-worthy, and now double as video cameras. And many applications and utilities available for digital photographers offer direct access to social networks like Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. Privacy, according to The New York Times, is nearly non-existent online; and yet friends and relatives rely on Internet venues to keep in touch and catch a glimpse of your kids hard at work or play.

The good news is that there is a safe zone between never taking pictures of your child, and sharing every photographed moment with the world on Facebook. With only a few safety tips kept in mind, you can keep loved ones and close friends in the know and still play safe:

• Explore Privacy Settings for Your Online Networks. Some social network venues tend to be cavalier when it comes privacy, but there are other outlets that provide various methods of protection. Here is just a quick glance at some of those options:
  • WordPress (blogging software): Individual blogposts can be Password Protected or made Private, granting you full control over this individual post and what you want subscribers to receive.
  • Flickr (photo sharing): When accepting contacts, you can designate them as Contacts, Friends, or Friends & Family. You can then make individual photos or entire albums Public, Private to Friends, or Private to Friends & Family.
  • Whrrl (geotagging, photo sharing, social networking): You have the option to designate another user as either a “Friend” or a “Trusted Friend.”  On check-in’s, you can share your location (and any associated photos or updates with it) on the Public network, your Friends’ network, or only those you consider Trusted Friends.
  • Facebook (social networking): Under the Photos section of your Profile, you will see near the top of the window a link for “Album Privacy.” From here, you can designate how public or private you want your images to be.

  Staying safe in social networking takes only a few minutes to understand how filters work and being smart in how you set them.

  • Avoid using your child’s name online. We gave this advice back in March, but it bears repeating as people still reveal their children’s names in open, online conversations. Code names allow you to talk about day-to-day and special events with little to no risk. On the occasional slip, don’t panic but do ask that close friends adhere to these code names when online.
  • Have a Child Identification card made for your child. For example, the Prince William County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia sponsors Ident-A-Child, where minors are given free of charge a photo identification card that features vital statistics such as height, weight, eye color, and so on. Check with your local law enforcement and inquire if they have an identification program for children.
  • Continue to take pictures of your child. Why is that part of our advice? Swiftness in locating missing or abducted children can come down to a recent photograph.  Technology has made snapping off photos commonplace, and having recent photos of your child on hand are always good, not only for sharing with friends but also in keeping your child’s identification current. Never be afraid to take a picture of your child.

Policing pictures of our kids can be a truly daunting task, especially in a world where cameras are everywhere, from smartphones to street corners. You should not feel obligated, even with the trend of social networking, to reveal every waking moment of your child’s life. You should, however, be smart before you start posting. Find out what privacy filters exist, understand how they work and how much control you have over the information shared, and take a moment to ask yourself if you want to share this particular moment online. It’s okay to ham it up with your child, and it’s even better to let your kids be kids; so long as you are safe and smart about it. Privacy matters. Even to the toddlers who don’t understand what it is.

Related posts:

1. Why Identity Protection for Kids Matters
2. Saving Facebook: Perspectives on New Privacy Policies
3. The IDGuardian Podcast: Episode #010 — Social Media Safety Tips
4. Identity Safety for Your Child
5. Identity Safety for Your Teens