Why You Should Rethink Posting Photos Of Your Children On Social Media | TODAY

Summary

The video script addresses the alarming issue of 'digital kidnapping', where predators exploit social media to track and exploit children. It highlights how parents unknowingly share photos and personal information of their children online, which can be used by bad actors to locate and potentially harm them. The segment features a cyber security expert demonstrating how easily one can gather detailed information about a family from their social media posts. The reporter emphasizes the importance of privacy settings, suggesting making profiles private, categorizing friends for safety, and turning off location features in phone settings to protect children's information. It serves as a wake-up call for parents to be more vigilant about their online activities and to regularly review and clean up their social media connections.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Digital kidnapping is a serious threat where predators use social media to track and exploit children.
• 👀 Parents often unknowingly share photos and information about their children, which can be used maliciously.
• 📍 Photos can contain hidden location data, even without explicit geotagging, that can reveal where you and your children are.
• 🔒 To protect your family, adjust privacy settings on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to limit who can see your posts.
• 🛡️ Creating separate friend groups on Facebook and only sharing children's photos with trusted contacts can add an extra layer of security.
• 📱 Ensure the location services are turned off for your camera on your phone to prevent location data from being embedded in photos.
• 👪 Avoid using your children's photos in profile or cover photos, as these are always public on social media platforms.
• 🧐 Be cautious about the information you share online, as it can be pieced together by strangers to create a detailed profile of your family.
• 🤔 Regularly review and clean up your social media friends list to remove any contacts you're not close with or no longer wish to connect with.
• ⏰ Use periodic reminders, such as changing clocks for daylight saving time, to review your social media and phone settings for privacy.
• 👀 Awareness is key – understand the risks associated with oversharing on social media and take proactive steps to safeguard your family's information.

Q & A

What is the phenomenon being discussed in the transcript?

The phenomenon being discussed is 'Digital Kidnapping,' which refers to the misuse of children's photos and personal information posted online by parents, potentially putting their safety at risk.

Why are experts issuing an alert about social media posts?

Experts are issuing an alert because bad actors are using social media posts to track children, steal their photos, and spread them online, sometimes for nefarious purposes.

What is the simple setting change recommended for protecting one's family on social media platforms?

The recommended setting change is to make your profile private on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and to adjust the privacy settings to 'Friends Only' to limit the audience of your posts.

How can a hidden location signature in photos pose a risk?

A hidden location signature, or metadata, in photos can reveal where the photo was taken, even if the location isn't explicitly tagged. This can allow anyone, including potential predators, to find out where you and your children are.

What information was discovered about Michelle and Reese's family by the cyber security expert?

The cyber security expert discovered the names of Michelle and Reese's children, their ages, dates of birth, the school they attend, the address of the school, the teacher's name, the playgrounds they visit, and the frequency of their visits.

What is the potential danger of sharing detailed personal information on social media?

Sharing detailed personal information on social media can allow strangers to impersonate family members or friends, potentially gaining the trust of a child and leading to dangerous situations.

How can parents categorize their friends on Facebook for better privacy control?

Parents can categorize their friends on Facebook by creating separate friend lists or groups, and then adjust their privacy settings to share their children's photos only with trusted individuals in these groups.

Why is it advised to turn off the location function on the camera setting of your phone?

Turning off the location function on the camera setting prevents the embedding of GPS data into photos, which could otherwise reveal the location where the photo was taken and potentially compromise privacy and safety.

Why should you avoid putting your kids in your profile or cover photo on social media?

Profile and cover photos are always public, which means anyone can see them, including potential predators. It's safer to keep children's images out of these highly visible areas of a social media account.

What is the suggestion for using the biannual clock change as a reminder?

Experts suggest using the biannual clock change as a reminder to review and clean up your social media friends list, deleting anyone you're not close to or no longer friends with, to reduce the risk of information falling into the wrong hands.

What is the term used to describe the act of predators stealing children's photos and personal information from social media?

The term used is 'Digital Kidnapping,' which highlights the serious nature of this online threat where personal information is misused to exploit or deceive.