Throughout the semester, we have discussed a wide range of areas regarding social media regulation and policies. I know we have talked a lot about privacy, but I think it’s an issue that will only continue to gain attention. I think the one of the biggest concerns about privacy that is beginning to gather more awareness is the topic of children’s privacy on social media. Before the debate in class, I never thought much about parents posting pictures of their children on the social media platforms. It never occurred to me that it could be intruding on their children’s privacy. As far as I know, there are no social media sites that directly address posting photos of underage children. As parents become more informed about the potential risks and become a greater concern, maybe social media platforms will include this issue in their terms and conditions.
To combat the privacy concerns for children, France’s national police released a statement urging parents to take caution when posting pictures of their children to Facebook in an effort to protect children from sexual predators and other online dangers. Under the country’s strict privacy laws, parents could end up facing jail time if they are convicted of violating the laws. The statement comes in response to a recent viral challenge that urged parents to post pictures of their children and urge others to do the same. French privacy laws prohibit anyone from publishing photos of other individuals without their consent. The French police posted links to a newspaper article in which one expert explains that the law carries fines of up to around $49,000 and/or a year in prison. Also, children have grounds to sue their parents in the future if they feel their rights have been violated. Last year, Germany similarly warned parents not to post pictures of their children online where they can be seen by anyone, sparking massive debate among social media users. It will be interesting to see if other countries will follow suit.
JillianBerardi 