Facebook, Privacy and Children.

Truthfully I think that the times of privacy you are talking about is a thing of the past. I think there are so many images of our kids out there that it's totally rididulous. I know right now that the school has their yearbook photo's online for anyone to look at and tag, who knows how may hundred people are looking at them. I am sure that right here in my town that pedophiles have seen their pictures online for some event or other.

I think that we have to be diligent in teaching our kids the be aware of possible danger of the neighbor, our best friend, uncle bob or aunt jane, etc...because most of the danger comes from people they actually know. Not some stranger that walks around in a trench coat, but an actual person they already know.

I tell the kids over and over and over. Even if my BFF comes to your school and tells you that I said for them to come pick you up, that is not allowed. I will ALWAYS tell you in person if they are allowed to pick you up.

I think that letting them know what is possible and that there are bad people out in the world that want to hurt kids is only one way of helping the be protected.

I imagine in 10 years there won't even be any type of privacy as we know it now. I think the internet will be so intertwined in every aspect of our lives that is will be impossible to control or even maintain.

Each person I took pictures of today was asked if they minded me posting their picture on my FB page. Not one said no.

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I would bring it up to the troop leaders. Regulations have to change with the times. They probably have not thought about this and would share your concern.

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I completely agree with Gamma G., and I haven't had any issues taking pictures of my kids at their events. All of the parents take pictures of our own kids and each others kids, and we share them on facebook with each other. Of course, we all know each other, and know we don't mind each other doing this. Maybe it's because we live in a small, close-knit community that it isn't an issue.

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A 'friend' took me picture while I was in her home as a guest. Then she put my picture up on her blog, and complained about me for a whole blog post, when I asked her to remove my picture and told her is was very rude of her to do that to me, she posted a 2nd negative post all about me again, and continues to harass and try to confront me, but I leave her alone... for no apparent reasons. She has a history of randomly starting fights and I was trying really hard to be kind and careful with her. There are crazy people out there, who will do that even to little kids... so yes, I am very grateful that policies like this are in place.

As for what to do, think of what the woman said when she asked you not to take the photo at the swimclub. Just say the same thing. I would actually bring it up to the leader and ask for a parental discussion on implementing a similar rule.

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in the past few years, we have had to sign a permission slip for photos for a variety of activities....both in/out of school.

I don't allow any pictures of my children on the internet. Most pictures taken by organizations, give you the choice whether or not you want them in the picture. When they ask, I ask what they plan to do with the picture. In respect for not wanting to call your daughter away or tap on the shoulder, you have to make the decision which is more important to you, calling your daughter away and or tapping on the shoulder, or letting a picture possibly be on the internet. I have chosen to be a pain, but I have found when I tell people, they respect my decision. And to those who don't, who cares, it is my children and my decision. If they can't respect that, they are the one with the problem.

My sister runs a few daycares and they have ALL the parents sign waivers stating that it is ok for others to take pictures of their kids for school-sanctioned events and for the schools' promotional materials and their website.

If an organization has such a policy in place, you could always cite that when you are taking pictures of your kid. I'd also tell them, "I am more than happy to show you the shots I get and to crop out any unintended people." That is what we do at my son's school--the parents are pretty cooperative with one another.

What a shame you all will not be able to take photos of your children and their friends during these events.
Just yesterday I was going through old photos from our child's childhood. There were great photos of her infant class, her daycare, ballet, elementary field trips.

These kids will be graduating fom college this spring, and I am scanning these hoots fr their families and teachers.

Our daughter and her friends love these old photos. Brings back so many memoies.

Hope you all can figure out a solution.

Could you cover their troop number?

Talk to the leader about this. You're right, it's becoming more and more of an issue. As an educator, we do not allow pictures at school for that very reason. Hopefully the leader will agree. If not, simply ask that your daughter not be in any of the pictures.

Well, this is an evolving area, and someone probably should bring it up.

But I agree, you never can be too careful...there are lots of wackos out there who will go to any lengths to stalk someone on Facebook!

I tell people all the time "Please don't post my DD to FB. If you want a picture without her in it, I will have her step aside." The way we figure is that when DD is old enough to make her own choices, she can plaster herself everywhere. Pictures don't really come down (they are always out there somewhere) and FaceBook keeps changing to mess with your privacy ALL.THE.TIME. Just last week someone posted me and then also posted the location and essentially "checked me in" to a location, even though I had that off. Whatever the new feature was, it circumvented the privacy settings I had. I treat FB as pretty much an open forum. If I don't post my DD here, I won't post her there.

I'm "that mom" but people are starting to understand and only one person posted DD from that event (that I know of) and my friend immediately alerted me to it and I asked the photographer to take it down.

I have not yet had issues with taking pictures of my DD only at some event. I bet they had some sort of privacy issue in the past and with people thinking everybody is public property, I can see why they made the rule. You might ask if you can take a picture of her once the class has left the pool.

My DD's preschool has a form that details what images may be used, how and where. The swim class could do the same.

I would talk to the troup leader. Maybe have a parental meeting on online safety and include posting pictures and how perverts can easily find kids. My SD has a ton of friends who happily post what school they attend and it takes no trouble at all to find out that SD is 17, goes to x school and is in the theatre program. She gets tagged and all her friends see the photo and then possibly other people she doesn't know....it's a spiderweb, even if YOUR kid is slightly more responsible.