What parent has never posted – on Facebook or elsewhere on the internet – a photo of their newborn baby, their children on holiday or a Sunday lunch with the family? Most people would think this is perfectly normal... and yet!
Publishing one or more photos of your minor child poses several problems... First of all, by doing so, you are exposing them to public view, including that of the most malicious internet users (predators, hackers, etc.). Secondly, all the photos published will follow them into adulthood, sometimes without them being able to remove certain images. Finally, the consent of the child – the person most affected – is not usually sought and may ultimately lead to family tensions, especially when they reach an age where they no longer want their image to be exposed.
While the Civil Code obliges parents to protect their children's image, new tools are also gradually emerging from the giants of the web – and social networks – to raise awareness.
One example is Facebook, which is currently considering rolling out a new type of alert. This would take the form of a message appearing on the screen when a parent posts a photo of their child, inviting them to think carefully before confirming their post.
Whether it's teenagers putting themselves in the spotlight or parents exposing their children, e-Enfance reminds us of the obligation to respect everyone's image rights, including those of our children. And as always, the issue remains the same: think carefully before posting anything on the Internet.
