Should You Post Pictures of Your Family on Social Media?

There has long been a debate about whether to post pictures of your family on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. The issue of privacy online is huge. When you post pictures on social media, they are there forever. For anyone to view. And that’s part of the appeal for a lot of people. I know that’s why I started sharing pictures. So family and friends who I might not see on a regular basis can feel a little bit closer.

For my business, sharing pictures is a totally different thing. It’s a way for me to advertise and reach potential clients. Still, when I am posting sneak peeks, I always ask for a clients permission to post on social media. Their fears are the same as many others. Who’s looking at my pictures? What if they’re stolen? How will they be used?

I think it’s ok to post pictures of your family online, but there are ways to do it safer. Here are a few tips to consider when sharing your pictures on social media.

Don’t show personal details like your house number or the front of your home.
When you are posting images from your home, don’t geo-tag your location.
Don’t let people know that you are on vacation. It will just alert them that your house is empty. Instead, wait until you’re home to share pictures.
If you are posting photos of your children on Instagram, always check out new followers. If an account has no profile photo, no photos or no followers, block them. Better yet, make your account private so you have to approve any new followers.
Be smart about the images you’re posting of your children. If it’s a picture you think they might be embarrassed by when they get older, choose something else to share.
Edit down your friends and followers list. When Facebook first became popular, it was all about how many ‘friends’ you had. I accepted anyone who sent a request to build my following. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been unfollowing and unfriending people I am not actually friends with. If I wouldn’t call or text you on your birthday, you’re off my list.
Create a separate list of Friends or Family on Facebook that you are comfortable sharing pictures of your family with. Only those people will see new photos.