What Would You Do? Pictures of Children on Facebook in Idaho Without Consent

What would you do? What would you do if you logged into social media, saw a rants and raves page, and found a picture of your child on it? What if someone posted a picture on their page without your knowledge? Your child has a picture on the internet, against your will, and in today's world, that can't be the best feeling. How do you react? What do you do? Why is there a picture on a Facebook page? If you discovered this, what would you do?

Children Pictured in the Magic Valley

Recently on a Magic Valley social media page, someone posted pictures from their security or doorbell camera of kids on their property. The parent of the children saw it and was not pleased. They asked it to be taken down, but their request was denied. I will not get into why the pictures were posted, but the fact that a parent requested them to be taken down, raises the question, if you found pictures of your child on the internet what would you do? As a parent, it is concerning to see photos you don't want out there of your kid. There are sex offenders, sex trafficking, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists that could find these pictures and begin targeting your child. Most people wouldn't think of this, but this is how some parents think these days, and they often have to in today's society. 

Is it OK to Post Pictures of Someone's Child Online?

Is it ever ok to post a picture of minors online? If it is a group setting, such as a parade, a concert, or something of that nature and they are in a crowd, odds are nobody would think anything of it. When individual pictures are posted against a parent's will or knowledge, it enters into a different category. Legally, they are ok, so long as the pictures are taken in the right way, such as in a public place, and aren't invading privacy. There is the ethical question though, if a parent is not aware and does not want the pictures posted, should they be allowed to? Your options are limited as to what you can do, which is why this is a tricky topic to figure out how to manage. You can contact authorities or the social media platform, but likely, there is little that will be done. 

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Some parents are ok with it, while others are protective of their children and don't want them online. The age of the child and gender is a huge factor here as well, as obviously, certain ages are more prone and targeted, as well as genders. I know I would be furious if I found pictures of my children online, especially on a rants and raves page. If you found your children's picture on social media, what would you do?