breach

I don't know what it was that led me to check my Recent Activity tonight. It's what I used to call my 'under the radar' Flickr account - reserved for en masse shoots of other families, of personal gatherings. Birthday parties, family reunions. Chocolate on the faces of cousins, sandy toes at the beach, intimate moments post-christening.

These are not my children to share. Best keep these in a place that's not attached to the blog. Best keep these in a place that's a quiet needle in the biggest haystack anyone's ever known.

'Private' is an extra step that prevents internet-averse relatives and friends from finding the photos they want to see. And so I went everything but, restricting my photos from searches, refusing to use any manner of descriptive text, tags or any other mode of sharing.

No one untoward will ever find my images in the hugeness of the internet - especially not when there are so many dolts out there tagging their kids' photos with 'bathtime fun'. I do nothing to promote them, and only pass on the URL to people I've sat next to at dinner. Simple as that, right?

I've written elsewhere about my contempt for people who spread fear, uncertainty and doubt about sharing photos on the internet. You know, those who shriek smugly about how we've all got it coming to us, damn short of fire and brimstone, for being so dumb as to share images online. As if Flickr amounts to putting our children out on the front stoop wearing sandwich boards that say FREE FOR THE TAKING.

To say that sharing photos on the internet is a wholly bad thing is akin to saying that kissing is nothing more than a gateway for disease. It's a tragic overstatement that would have us all stifle joy and creativity and community.

And then tonight. Two recently-added Contacts, both of whom belong to several red-flag-raising groups - one of which was had a discussion topic called "We R Not Monsters!!!" which justified the stealing of child photography for avatars on sites such as Orkut.

How the hell did they find me? How is that possible?

Needless to say, I've now gone private on this account. Flickr allows you to share a 'guest pass' on private photos to people who are not Flickr members - a URL which, when emailed directly, allows access but not random browsing. This is news to me, and I'm grateful for it.

I do not believe in internet-birthed bogeymen. My squeamishness is simply because I want to share on my own terms. But how realistic it is to promise those terms when there are people out there who have no respect for image ownership nor any regard for the justified protectiveness of parents?

So tell me this, and forgive me for bringing up a potentially unsolvable conundrum. If this post generates a bunch of oh god that's it I'm done the sky is falling comments I will pelt you with rubber chickens. I want to hear measured thought and actions. I want to know how you feel, how you tackle this.

How do you share responsibly on the internet - especially photos of people and children who are not your own? How do you balance the need for self-promotion (for those of you who are professional) and creative sharing with the need to protect the moments you've captured?

Comments

[renee @ FIMBY]

No answers here. I stopped using flickr simply because I didn't have the time to do that and my blog. But that doesn't help in this conversation. I'd like to see what others say about this.

[Puna]

It certainly is a conundrum. I have thought about this many times as I post photos of my own children. I don't use names but that seems like such a weak security measure, like taking an aspirin to combat cancer but yet it makes me feel better. I don't watermark my photos either but I see many photographers who do and I think they are smarter than I am. I have used other people's photos on my site, in particular, the talented Marcie Scudder's photos when I wrote a little tribute to her but I always give credit. I know not everyone does.

It's an exercise of faith in an uncertain world. Those who's inner core is the artist screaming to get out, will express our creativity but it can leave us vulnerable as well. Like taking a chance on love, yes?

So I think of it this way. Be vigilant, be careful, but get out there. Unless you can live with the alternate, being repressed and letting others - the bad - dictate how we express ourselves as artists. But if you are violated, hold those accountable, report it, write about it, spread the world. Just as you did.

Thanks for being honest, we all benefit from it.

[Sarah]

I think you've done the things that seem prudent - excluding your content from search mechanisms, not divulging every last bit of personal information, taking down photos if another parent requests you do so, and keeping your circle of visitors small. But Flickr is the same as a big crowd at an amusement park. Other people you don't know can see you (and your children and friends) while thinking thoughts or saying words or doing things that you want to protect them from.

The Internet is like traveling in a big city. There are some tourist traps, some hidden gems, and some neighborhoods that, maybe, are unsafe. Keeping your wits about you and avoiding trouble - whether it finds you or not - is a fact of life. It's not fair, and it stinks, but sometimes you have to take a few extra steps to stay safe. I think it's better to stay and share. Good will overcome....right?

I guess that's a bit optimistic and some might say naive, but what's the point of taking pictures and not sharing them? I think the whole reason I take photographs at all is to share them, because they have the power to make people so happy!

I'm terribly sorry that someone is going out of their way to stand too close to your personal space, so to speak. I'd feel awful about it, too. (As soon as I see untoward activity on my Flickr account, I'll exactly what you do - use the the Guest Pass. It's extra layer of annoying, which is why I don't use it regularly (although I have tried it in the past).

No "sky is falling" here. Share. Don't let a few creeps get you down anywhere - when you're vacation, or when you're out and about visiting new places, or when you're online sharing photos. I hope you get lots of encouragement here!

[camerashymomma]

i've been cutting down on my flickr uploads. also learned from you so long ago that you don't tag your photos with anything and if i do titles they are obscure or abstract or just meaningful to me and not search engines. i like titles, that's why i still use them over a blank space.

the only photos i use of other people's kids are images i took with a model release anyway and will be viewable on my website. i guess that's my only "i'm doing more than keeping my head in the sand" approach. as often i love to just keep my head in the sand about things of this nature. the guest pass thing seems like an added nuisance (although helpful and convienent) and i am lazy by nature and would rather just dump the whole flickr account than have to hand out passes. a photog friend of mine just had an image published on the cover of a book and she was found through flickr of all places. it's those things that give me hope that good still prevails. and it's what keeps me around on flickr, that's for sure.

i like what sarah said about visiting a big city. i try not to get overwhelmed. seldom submit to groups (other than shutter sisters or those related) and i keep my contact list very small (especially after getting in explore... good grief, the creeps come out in hoards) i hand out blocks like nobody's business. (you like wearing diapers and you're a grown man? yup you're blocked.) i've also gone through and made private alot of my more personal images and am just showing more "arty" stuff in my photostream. i love flickr for it's photo archival sense. it's a back up to my other three backups. it's like a rolodex of images. so i really don't want to delete it.

so, no rubber chickens here either. the sky is not falling. it's still the same shade of blue with occassional storm clouds thrown in for effect.
- meredith

[Lori Potts]

i never post phoos of other children. being a digital scrapbooker I have my kids in several galleries. I am thinking of taking them down and housing all my pages on flickr and one other scrap gallery. i do like the no tags idea.

[~ kristina ~]

I pretty much never post photos of my nephew or godchildren, and ask permission from their parents if I do. And I try to use anonymous shots if I do post anything, where the child's face isn't fully visible, etc. I am not sure what I will do if I have children of my own. It's something I'm still thinking about. This is a very useful discussion.

[Meryl]

I keep most of my family pictures private, and only share specific shots that I really love. If nothing else, that limits the number of photos that are out there that I feel like I have to monitor. I don't have the kiddo worries (yet), but I have had trouble with a puppy miller stealing a shot of my dog. A nasty cease and desist email took care of it, but I do worry about what's out there that I don't know about. No solutions here. I think--as with many things in life--in online photo sharing, everyone has to find their own line between freedom and safety.

[andie]

I don't upload pics to flickr/post pics on my blog of my children. I think it is a very personal decision and everyone has find that line that feels most comfortable to them. I feel kids do have a right to privacy though. I don't want my children growing up and thinking there is a "bathtime" shot of them floating around on the internet. Second yes I know some people say well there is just as much stranger danger in real life. The person in the grocery store could be a creep more than someone who is viewing yoru photos on flickr. The key for me though is that you wouldnt give that stranger in the store a photo of your child to do what he wants with so why online?

Once a photo is uploaded it is there for the taking. I think that is just a fact regardless of photo content. Right clicked off your blog, downloaded off flickr by using flickr tools (unless you've opted out), print screened...there are so many methods. I've seen some of my favorite pics taken while doing a google search for them. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have those pics be ones of my children. So I simply don't upload them or I crop them in a way that feels "safe" to me.

As far as sharing pics of other peoples kids? Just asking the parents and using your best judgment I thnk would solve that problem. Write yourself up a release page and offer it to clients.

I'm really sorry you had to deal with this Kate but so glad you brought this topic up to the sisters.
xxoo,
a.

[elk]

sorry that these challenges appear but i know each photographer will use a solution that is best for them and I really am glad you brought it up. My situation seems a bit different in that I have older children who made the decision easy... they do not want most of their images in Mom's flickr stream anyway so I respect their feelings and photos of them on my stream are rare.

[Jess]

I just don't ever post photos of children that are not my own.
I just made the Family photos folder in my flickr private too.
I do post pics of my own kids, but only things that I think they wouldn't be embarrassed by when they are older.

[Heather]

This is a toughie for me -- initially I solved the problem by not posting any pics of my family, myself included (though, that might be a vanity issue:) but that's changed . . . I've tried to keep my family's identify protected from those few unwholesome folks who might want to do them harm but perhaps there's more I can do. And to be honest, I hadn't considered that my pics could be picked up off my site or flickr stream and used by others. So no tags for me and I'll think about adding a watermark.

It's important to me to have a way to share my "art" with others so I appreciate you raising these questions!

[Krista]

I'm not a professional photographer, so I'm not sure how relevant my comments will be, but I'll put my two cents out there for whatever they're worth.

I love Flickr. I pay for the unlimited space option so that I can upload to my little heart's content. I upload pictures of my kids, my husband, my nieces and nephews, and other beloved family members. I even tag them with their own names, not for anyone's benefit but my own. I love how easy it is to find pictures by doing a quick search through the tags.

Also, I am paranoid about fire. And other natural disasters. Uploading photos to Flickr gives me a little peace of mind. It's another level of protection for precious memories I don't ever want to lose.

Still I am aware of the risks. For this reason the majority of my pictures are protected (as well as they can be) behind the "private" security measures Flickr provides. However, not every picture is hidden behind this firewall. I'll mark some public because I want to share them with a wider audience, but I don't remove the tags because of this.

For me, the real danger to my children's safety is the evening news. The stories about vans following school buses or strange cars stalking school parking lots in a county or town nearby disturb me a lot more than thinking someone might discover my kid's name because I mention it in the caption or description of a picture online.

But, if we're talking about someone stealing my picture for personal use and not giving credit where credit is due, well, that makes me angry. Find a camera and take your own pictures. Ask for permission. Give credit. Use a little common courtesy, for cryin' out loud!

[Toni]

The internet has created opportunity for creepers that they may not have taken in real life. My mom is a computer forensics detective for our city police and has shared some of the realities and risks of putting pictures on the internet. I have always considered myself *somewhat* savvy and educated - but a conversation with her about what she has seen or what she knows makes me realize how naive I am. I have a personal blog and I do post pictures of my family - but sometimes I question doing so because I am jaded about cyberspace (thanks to my mom educating me!). What is more concerning, however, are the pictures that young people put out there of themselves (once they are of cell-phone/computer using age). Educating young people and bloggers and facebookers etc. is paramount to protecting them from violation.

As far as taking others' pictures for use as your own, well, that is plagiarism and no different than cutting/pasting someone's work and turning it in (I am an English teacher and battle this with my students). There is no right answer - but I believe you have to do what feels comfortable for you in these situations.

[Jamie Lapeyrolerie]

I don't have kids of my own, but any pictures of family/children sessions that I shoot always have a release signed before I post them anywhere. This mainly applies to my blog posts, since my website is only wedding images. I do use flickr as well, but that's how I post bigger images on my blog.

As far as personal pics, I use kodak gallery. That way I can share with family, have an off site storage place and not worry about anyone getting to them. Another great site is Smug Mug.

[libbie]

I too recently had a run in with a creepy feelin contact from flickr also part of the Orkut site community and I'll admit it up me into a fear mode. i searched the internet for ways to protect my photos not just on flickr but also my blog. i ran though html code after html code. Got frustrated at the reality that I had only two options accept or remove all my images and never post another one again.
The latter just wasn't an option for me. We move around a lot being in the military. We can so far away from family for so long that having a place where they can keep update is a most for me. i take the responsibly there and accept the facts that come with it.
It doesn't matter what you do or how innocently you do it. There is always going to be someone out there to exploit it this is just fact.
I have to spend my time loving the things I love, enjoying the things I enjoy and let God handle the rest.

[Patty Reiser]

I have to say that I use Photobucket for storing my photographs that I use in my blog. All of my albums are kept private so that no one can just randomly bring them up or use them. And if I do use photographs containing other people, I post with their permission and do not use their names to protect them.
Photobucket also has the feature of guest passwords so that I can share images with family and friends on my terms.
I also keep my photos private on Facebook as well and only share to people I know personally. I don't want my family photo to end up on some billboard in a foreign country like that one family did.

[Trude]

The only thing I can say is that for family and friends, I'll either share on my blog (where I most often do photo collages rather than single ones), or I'll do a password-protected web gallery through my .Mac account. Otherwise on Flickr, it's almost all my P365 photos with my name all over them. For hosting, I use a private Photobucket account.

[wn]

This gives me pause for thought.....I keep all of my pictures public....but should I continue?
Damn you Kate for making me use my brain!

I liked the discussion in the comments though....it WAS (and is) measured. Will think about it.

[Diane]

I'll admit, it's easy to blast off with fire and brimstone, but I won't. I recently removed every single image of a child that I once had on Flickr. I have never tagged them, thinking this would keep my images safe from those weirdos out there. After all, as you say, there are so many people who tag photos of children and I must say some photos that people post of their children are sporting such seductive poses it makes me wonder what the parent is thinking. Never mind that ...

Since I do photograph children and families, and since I've removed every one from Flickr, I do still post them on my photo journal (aka blog). I have Google alerts set up 'just in case' and to monitor some of my images but that too is not foolproof. I feel that, even though I've added images of children on my blog that most of the creeps out there are using the 'easy stuff' that can be lifted at Flickr. So now I seldom even post at Flickr and never post a child there. In fact, I'm thinking I may refrain from posting any people images at all (at Flickr).

For those with a Mac it's possible to add images that are better protected (except by screenshot) on the "MobileMe" personal gallery. I still have my MobileMe gallery but since I never share images of children with anyone but my son (his daughters), I don't use it for that purpose anyway -- but it's an alternative for those who wish to have an online space that is not as easy to locate as all the Flickr photos. Does this help you? I don't know but I think many of us deal iwth this conundrum.

To share images of my granddaughters I only email them to those who would be interested (their parents for instance).

Thank you for having the courage to bring this topic up for measured discussion.

Diane

[amanda]

This is a tough piece of the pie to swallow. It is something that has been weighing on my plate very heavily this week. I blogged about some of my crazies yesterday, which makes this post a welcome forum for me!

There is no reason to run and hide. You are an artist. And part of being an artist is the longing to share that part of you that soars - the things that make your heart sing. Stand your ground. But in soaring - there must be safety. A seatbelt, and an airbag. Things to protect you from the crazies in this world. So yes - post. But use the precautions you've already put into place.

My safety attempts are this: a password protected gallery for all my clients AND for pictures of my girls, watermarked EVERYTHING, and I cut my children's heads off for the blog posts when at all possible. It's sad. Truly. And I made my personal blog private - password protected only for my closest and most kindred. I opened a new flickr account and made it private. Now I only use it as a collection plate - a place to organize my thoughts. Nothing more.

I am still here. Just as bold, just as confident. Just not so vulnerable. And I'm utilizing the button available on the squarespace blogs... Did you know you can BAN certain IP addresses? Wow. What a blessing!

Good luck on finding the right safety gear! And thank you for voicing what we all secretly fear...

[Chris]

Okay, call me naive and uneducated, but I have no idea what Orkut is and I have a feeling I don't want to, right? How do you know if someone who has made you a contact belongs to or has anything to do with Orkut? And on that note, how can you find out if someone's using your photo? I do have photos of kids in my Flickr account, some marked private, some not. I guess I need to research this further...

[Desiree Durang]

This has been a great discussion. Something I've thought about. I personally feel that photos are for sharing. I do share pics of my son often on my blog because I feel they're too cute not to share. I watermark and never do anything revealing or too personal. My moto is if you don't want people seeing it DON'T put it on the Internet! I keep my family pics on Smugmug which is great for archiving and can be password protected. When it comes to my client work I DO post for my own promotion. I don't use full names and don't reveal personal details. I also use Model Releases. If a client wants something private I comply.
I could see as my son gets older and starts going to school and is out in the world more often without me that I would be more judicious about posting his image.

-Desiree

[Liz Ness]

I definitely want to protect my child. However, based upon information I can find, the real danger resides with those that our children and we know personally -- not the strangers that surf the web and randomly land on our photos.

Still, what about the image? Anyone anywhere can snap a photo of me or my child. Likewise, someone could draw a likeness of me and do something foul with it. And, what can I really do about that? The problem comes about when the image serves as a link to me or my child -- information about residence and where my child is located at any given moment. Yet, isn't it just as dangerous (or more so, maybe) to Tweet that I and my children are clothes shopping at Mall x? Even so, a predator would have to be very motivated to chase after that link/info. However, from the information I've gathered, it seems that predators go after easier targets (in general): Someone they know and have access to regularly that isn't aware of the danger they pose.

So, I go back to what really happens with our images? What harm does it really open us (and our children) up to by having photos published? I may not like what someone does to my images -- just like I don't like certain names that I might be called -- but, does it really hurt me? If it does, how does it hurt me? To what degree? There is a lot that I control in this situation, including my response. For example, I might sue if someone takes an image and alters it in a way that hurts my reputation. Yet, I probably won't care if someone draws glasses and a mustache on it. So I'm left wondering: Is there really anything anyone can do to my photo that truly violates me (outside of the reputation example, above)? These images are pieces of paper (or digital bits) after all. They are not me.

Instead of the photos, consider protecting physical privacy. For example, we should avoid sharing our present location, residence, travel plans, or excursion habits (as in, I go to Mall x every weekend). And, our images shouldn't link back to this information either. (i.e., Crop out house numbers and street signs.) Finally, reconsider that slick GPS/Geo-location tag that the camera places on images automatically -- maybe it isn't such a great idea after all.

[Jamie]

Wow! This is a really great discussion. I'm a "people" photographer so when you come to my blog, that's what you get. I use Flickr too. That's where I upload all my photos for my blog to so I don't take up too much bandwith on my server. I do put my logo on all my pictures and I also keep the file size small so it can't be used for someone elses' print project. I don't use tags much either.

Posting pictures of the people I photograph is how I promote myslef. It's how I share my art and keep connected. My clients know up front that they'll be on my blog (unless they request otherwise - but so far no one has). And, I put a lot of my family shots up too. All my family knows that they'll be on my blog and they get antsy when it takes too long ;)

I understand the need to be cautious and protect our privacy but I'm not interested in hiding. I won't let a few bad apples ruin my orchard. I believe photoraphs are meant to be shared. Personal information should never be given out as Liz Ness points out in her comments but lets not all go into hiding just because there are a few creeps out there.

[djbeat]

wow- this is a tough one. i must say that i often think twice before i click the 'anyone can see' button on flickr. sometimes i click it & grit my teeth a little thinking - the bad guys will never get to this - will they? i don't get a lot of traffic & i'm not a professional so i feel like i may be skirting the problem - but i could just be doing the ostrich here...

i did notice once that one of my bb boy's photos had had a huge bump in referral traffic from twitter & at the time i knew no one on twitter - i freaked!! contacted flickr & consequently tried to make sure that strangers couldn't link to or download my stuff (but they still can : ()

having said that - my flickr friends are mostly women with young kids & they are my friends now because i saw photos of their bbs & kids & felt connected to them. so without that ability to share i would be nowhere on flickr. & my blog & blog links are the same way...

so i cringe - but try not to share naked bb photos with the world (pray there are no whack jobs downloading my bb)! & at the same time i celebrate sharing my life & times with complete strangers - quite the conundrum...


would there be a shuttersisters without this openness?

[djbeat]

btw - i am searching through my tags for "bath time fun" now!

[melissa]

lots of good advice. thanks!
i watermark everything posted on my blog and FB/Flickr. detracts from the shots, but makes me feel more secure.

[Amy Steinberg]

I almost don't know where to start on this topic. My daughter is now 5 and I have always had a very rigid rule about "no photos" on the Internet nor do I send digital images to friends or family. I have also chased down a few photographers taking pictures of her and asked them to delete any photos of her. Thankfully most have been understanding or maybe they were just afraid of the crazy lady.

I thought I was the only one who thought about this issue but this post gives me hope. It is not only about the photo but it is also the personal information. No school names, no pics posted of other people. Nothing to give a way any private details. Same prudence should be used about ourselves & our families. I use Twitter extensively for work but all my stories are really about earlier in the day or even a week ago.

Why? My father was a police officer for 30 years. I use the same vigilance off the Internet. Do I live my life in fear? Yes to a certain degree but I've also taken the time to educate myself about the sharing of personal information in all facets of my life. I feel safer and more prepared should something happen.

I am rambling. But thank you for bringing this topic up and addressing it so thoughtfully.

[Kuky]

A picture of my daughter was posted on a forum somewhere without my permission about 3 years ago. It was very freaky at first. It made me want to remove my blog and all pictures from the internet. But now my thinking is along the lines of what Liz Ness wrote above, it doesn't really hurt me. And I like sharing pictures of us.

And, really, when I thought about it, nothing had changed from when I didn't know about the picture to when I found out, just my perception. My thinking now, the internet is such a big place and there are bloggers out there, really popular ones, who don't have problems showing pictures of their children so why should I?

Now when it comes to other people's children, I try not to post them on my personal blog. I'm sort of up in the air about my Flickr stream though. I may put them up without links or names. But I would think professionals wouldn't have the same problem since their clients would be familiar with their web sites.

I also do try to take precautions though very limited. I set up google alerts and I hide my personal Flickr photos from searches but they are not private. I also watermark them all. That's the balance that I've found works for me.

[Jen]

I don't post pictures of my children. I've had my photos 'stolen' from my blog more than once, but they weren't copyrighted or watermarked. I wouldn't consider posting photos of other people's kids.
Actually, I don't post any family, even adults. If I want to share my shots, I send a link to the online photo developing website that I use.

[DaniGirl]

I've been agonizing over this lately, too. I'm in the middle of a 365 project, and I'd be heartbroken if I had to stop sharing pix of my kids. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed in my Flickr stats that I was getting hits from Orkut on one particular (and very innocuous sitting around a campfire) picture of my seven year old, so I immediately made that private. It gave me the heebie-jeebies, though, and made me reconsider my whole online life.

In the end, I decided to watermark all of my pix (from now on, not going back to the archived 1000+!), to check the referrals at least a couple of times a week, I don't usually add pix of the kids to groups, am cognizant of tags and titles. In general, I've chosen a path of conscious awareness, I suppose. Yes, there are risks, but they are minor and the rewards are great. It's an uneasy balance, but it works for now.

What still bugs me is the 5 to 10 percent of my Flickr referrals that say "unknown source". What does that mean? Why is it unknown? If I could figure that out, I'd feel almost completely at ease with my Flickr account.

Oh, and as for other kids, I rarely - almost never - post pix of other people's kids, even if they're friends or family. Not my kids, not my choice to make unless they specifically say it's okay. And then, the usual prudence applies.

Thanks for this topic, I'm always interested to see others' perspectives on this issue.

[psumommy]

My family blog (I have 2- one for updates on my kids, one where it's all about me) I have off of the radar; removed from searches, a needle in a haystack. I had a stat counter on it, and I recognized every person who was visiting regularly. Every once in a while, a stranger would come by, but only for a second, so it didn't bother me at all.

Then someone started coming regularly. And downloading photos of my kids every time they visited. And wouldn't respond when I'd post on the blog for them to email me and explain who they were.

Now, my family blog is read by invitation and password only; I purchased a pro account on Flickr and am using it to upload photos of my kids, which are also all private now. I*hate* that I feel the need to do this, especially after having been perfectly safe for over 4 years. I've lost a lot of readers (a few family members who won't sign up for an account so they can read the blog; some friends who I didn't even know read the blog until it went private) and it's a PITA. And I am SO ANGRY that there was a way for a stranger to download photos which SHOULD have been protected. All of this because one person crossed that line.

[Lisa Ceaser]

I've honestly never given it much thought. I know most of my immediate family likes being able to check out my flickr stream and see pictures from parties, get togethers and what not. For others, I always ask permission. As in the my BFF's newborn. She said no. So the set is private and the guest pass went only to her to share as she pleases. I immediately delete and block any contact who does not have their own pictures to share, who seems suspicious and esp. who favorites random pictures of my nieces and nephews. But is it enough?

Am I protecting them? Doubtful.

This post has given me a lot to think about. And I don't take it lightly.

[arin]

this is perfect timing for me. I just realized Im being followed on flickr by someone who only follows infants and preschool children in the bath, on the potty, etc.

to say that my skin is still crawling is an understatement. Ive made these images of my kid private except to friends and family. But is there anything I can do to warn the other 237 photographers that have innocently posted images of their own kids?

[Alison]

Hi there

Kate - I just wanted to set your mind at rest that I've been looking at quite a lot of your photos on Flickr recently linked from your blog. You can check me out that I am who I say I am. I don't have a blog but I'm on Twitter (alliesp) and Facebook (I'm Alison Percival on Brighton, UK network). I ADORE your photos - I'm looking at the composition and wondering how to take better photos of my own two. I'm coveting things like the gorgeous patchwork quilts and plaid jackets, the tilt of a corduroy peaked hat and thinking my son used to have one quite similar, the ones taken in Little Nest, your lovely Hunter wellies. But as I am looking, I just get this awful feeling that maybe she sees 'recent activity' and wonders who it is as if I'm spying. So if you'd prefer me not to, just say the word...Sorry if this is not the place for this post.

[jakki]

when it comes to me and my children, have no problem posting photo's but i do ask persmission before posting other people and their children. consideration is mainly the reason. i try not to post anything that can be considered 'eye candy' rather it be adults or children but in this day and age, my definition of eyecandy might be different than someone else's so I ask before I post.

[food photographer singapore]

Thx for sharing...Cheers~~

[Shawna]

Tough call but I don't post pics of any kids but my own on Flickr. Even then: no names, no tags, no bath pictures or pictures showing anything that people wouldn't see in person if I took my kids to the beach. For my own site (once it no longer just links to Flickr) I might eventually end up with a few pics of others' kids, but I do have model releases for them and again, only pics I think would be boring for the crazies out there.

I'm not going to take what I have already posted down without extreme provocation. My children go about in public, living their lives before the eyes of people who are unknown to me, and it doesn't feel that different to me that they can be seen by strangers online.