Sharing photos of children safely – but how?

We all love taking photos of our children. Parents want to create memories with these pictures. Regular snapshots capture the milestones in a child's development that would otherwise be easily lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And, of course, we want to share particularly good photos or pictures of important events with relatives and friends. There's nothing wrong with that – and I'm no exception.

However, this often happens a little too carelessly in WhatsApp groups and on social media. Terms such as «sharenting» – a portmanteau of «to share» and «parenting» – make us feel guilty. And rightly so, as their criticism is entirely justified.

Anyone who believes that pornographic deepfakes can only be found in conspiratorial corners of the dark web is turning a blind eye to reality.

Just to remind you: when everything becomes public, it comes at the cost of a significant loss of privacy. What's more, we relinquish control over these images, as nobody knows what platforms such as Instagram, Facebook or TikTok might do with them. And let's not forget the children here, who, as they get older, may feel embarrassed by this unsolicited exposure. So far, so familiar.

Since the emergence of AI tools accessible to the general public, this problem has become even more acute. Excuse me, but who would want strangers to use photos of our children to create pornographic deepfakes? Anyone who believes this is confined to conspiratorial corners of the dark web is turning a blind eye to reality. It is far too easy to create sexualised images using so-called «nudify» apps.

How to limit the misuse of images

Now that the boundaries of what can be said on social media have long since been pushed beyond what is tolerable, the same is unfortunately now true of what can be shown.

Being aware of this dampens the enjoyment of photography and leads to a great deal of anxiety. The fact is that, whilst the misuse of photos posted online can never be completely prevented, it can be limited by taking a few precautions.

Tip 1: Talking helps

Anyone wishing to share photos of children with their inner circle should also adopt a consistent approach with them. For example, family and friends could agree on a single, secure messaging service. It is equally important to agree on rules, such as not sharing access details to cloud-based systems. If children and young people are among the recipients, they must also adhere to these rules.

Advantage: Agreed arrangements provide clarity – and can have a knock-on effect if family and friends adopt them in their own circles too.

Disadvantage: There is no guarantee that everyone will stick to the agreements.

Threema and Signal are regarded as secure and privacy-friendly messaging apps. However, neither is nearly as widely used as WhatsApp – despite the latter's poor reputation.

Tip 2: What about WhatsApp?

WhatsApp plays a key role in sharing photos privately. Anyone who wishes to send photos of their children via WhatsApp, despite any reservations, can use the «View once» feature. Once viewed, these images disappear from the recipient's device.

Advantage: Most people in your circle are likely to use WhatsApp. Personal messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted.

Downside: Everyone has to decide for themselves how much they trust Meta, the company that owns not only WhatsApp but also Instagram and Facebook.

Tip 3: Use alternative messaging apps

Anyone who doesn't want to support ad-supported data giants is better off using Threema, which is based in Switzerland. Signal, on the other hand, is run by a non-profit organisation. Both are recommended not only for sharing photos of children, but also for everyday communication.

Advantage: Threema and Signal have been regarded as secure and privacy-friendly messaging apps for years.

Downside: Both are significantly less widely used than WhatsApp – despite its poor reputation.

Tip 4: Share images via cloud-based systems

Photos can also be easily shared with others via cloud services. Well-known examples include Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. However, private photos are sensitive data – should they really be stored on the servers of major US cloud providers? Alternatives that offer better data protection could include Proton Drive from Switzerland or the German service Nextcloud.

Advantage: Access can be restricted to specific individuals and secured using personal login details.

Drawback: Sharing links can still be passed on.

These recommendations seem inconvenient and a nuisance. But so do water wings. I don't even want to think about the alternatives.

Tip 5: Your own cloud with NAS systems

The term NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. Put simply, it is like having your own cloud at home, which family and friends with the appropriate access details can access without any data loss. Many NAS systems use multiple hard drives. If one fails, the data remains available on the other hard drives. This is more secure than relying on just a single external storage device for backups. That's why a NAS is not only suitable for family photos, but also, more generally, for backing up important data and documents. One well-known provider is Synology.

Advantage: You retain control over your data. As a NAS can also be used to back up computers and other devices, it may well be worth buying one.

Downside: It costs money to set up, and it's more involved than simply opening Google Drive. But it's not rocket science. The costs vary depending on the device, and the number and size of the hard drives.

Tip 6: Denial is not the answer

Anyone who decides to post photos of their children despite all the risks should follow the tips and links below. Ignoring the issue is not the answer. Yes, these recommendations may seem inconvenient, and yes, they are a faff and a nuisance. But so are water wings. I don't even want to think about the alternatives.

• No photos in which the person is shown from the front and looking at the camera; preferably from behind and difficult to recognise.
• No photos in which the person pictured is wearing very little or no clothing at all.
• No photos showing close-ups of feet and hands (fetish alert).
• No photos taken in places such as the bed, the bath or the changing table.
• No photos in which the person pictured is wearing make-up or striking poses.