Are You Exploiting Your Child For The Sake Of Your Business?
January 9, 2008
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Many businesses use photos of kids, or pets in their marketing materials. After all, they’re cute and universally appealing.
But, lately, I’ve noticed many bloggers using kids in their posts. Now, before you flame me - I’m not trying to impose some moralistic judgement on you. But, I have to ask the question - are we putting our children’s safety at risk in putting pictures and info about our kids on the Internet?
After all, some people actually blog about how much money they’re making. So is it wise to also include personal details about our family? Or do you think I’m being a little paranoid?
For example - John Chow often includes his daughter Sally in his posts. And I’m not criticising John in anyway. I love his blog and Sally is v cute. But, is it wise to include her photos in a blog on making money?
Darren Rowse on the other hand does personalise his blog - but he keeps his wife and child fairly anonymous. And although he will refer to them - he uses initials. For example, he only ever refers to his wife as V.
Both Shoemoney and John Chow have featured pictures of their children wearing promotional clothing sent in by other businesses. And whilst there can be no doubt that the businesses who send them in are smart marketers, you have to ask yourself if you’re exploiting your children by featuring pictures of them wearing these clothes.
Of course, these are all personal decisions. And what seems perfectly harmless to one of us, may seem completely safe to others.
However, we have to remember that we don’t know who is reading our blogs. People are easily able to browse anonymously, if they wish to do so.
And when you view this video and read some comments below it - you have to wonder just how many idiots are online.
The video would be perceived by most reasonably intelligent people as a form of child abuse, or exploitation. But, judging from the comments - many viewers obviously think it’s amusing to teach a toddler to swear and refer to being drunk. And unfortunately - these type of people could also be trawling your blog, viewing pictures and personal details of your child.
There can be no doubt that the Internet is still a virtual playground for paedophiles, who use anonimity to their benefit. Last night, Panorama aired a show in which a researcher posed as a 14 year old girl on three social networking sites. And despite her innocent profile, she was solicited several times by perverts. You can read the transcript here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7174814.stm
Do you think you are putting your child at risk on the Internet? Or do you think my reluctance to post my children’s photos or names is an over-reaction?
And do you think it is ok to train a child to say the things the child in the video above said for the sake of your own self promotion? Or like me, do you view it as exploitation?
Also, are we doing enough to protect children on the Internet? Clearly, making the Internet a safe place for children is an ongoing struggle for the police and various other authorities.
Are those companies who are more technology savvy - eg. some of the major search engines in a better position to help? And do they have a social responsibility to help clear up the Internet?
Please share your views in the comments section below.
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23 Responses to “Are You Exploiting Your Child For The Sake Of Your Business?”
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I like your observation about bloggers “exploiting” their kids for their online businesses. I agree with your point, Cath.
Hey Cat. Thanks for commenting on my new blog and helping out.
With regards to your post, I think that there may be an instance where a child is a figurehead for his father.
If you look at Carl Ocab.com; many people think that the real person behind the blog is Carl’s father. It makes sense too. He chose a unique angle by saying “make money online with a 13 year old.” This guaranteed interest. I think that may be happening.
Ninja Steve - Good point. I never really thought about Carl Ocab. Some people do say that posts on credit cards and stuff could not have been written by a child.
It’s a very popular site, so I just hope his parents monitor his emails etc to protect him from those who try to take advantage.
I know that if I had babies, I’d probably want to share pictures of the cuteness. But I’d also be v nervous about it. So I wouldn’t. Too many perverts out there….
Is it exploiting? I really don’t know.
Btw, there’s an interesting site called Perverted Justice which does stings of people who try to solicit “kids.” (They have a lot of rules to keep it from being entrapment.)
I occasionally post pictures of my daughter online. I don’t use her real name. I don’t have a problem with posting the pictures. Is it exploiting it depends on the circumstances. If I felt that way there aren’t too many places, I would go in real life because I don’t know how a stranger. Then again it’s not always strangers that abuse children. Statistics state that 85% of children are molested by someone they know.
Hi Opal - your pics of your daughter are great. And I’ve definitely never got the impression you were exploiting her.
But, the toddler I posted in that video link is a whole other story.
I’ve mentioned my kids on here, but my youngest is offended because I won’t use her name.
My kids are too precious to risk, or risk any kind of teasing to them.
Crazy world
I wasn’t able to see the video it gave me a copyright violation message. They’ve taken it down.
One of my blog buddies posted pictures of her daughter using the potty. The post was slamming perverts.
I remember questioning her rationalization. She said that perverts would feel guilty because of the words she included with the pictures. A brilliant woman but I was shocked that she was that trusting.
That should have been…
I was shocked that she was so naive.
I’m not sure about my standpoint on this.
I have no kids.
A friend of mine, while we lived in Korea did post pictures of her boy on flickr, but not the ones where he ran naked around in the garden.
I know that there’s a bunch of whackos out there.
)
Post foot pictures on flickr and check the results after a while.
(Nothing against foot fetishists, but you know that there are such and such people
Back to the kids.
From a personal standpoint, it depends on what you are scared of.
That your kid gets kidnapped or molested or that “only” the pictures get used the wrong way.
If I would live at the same spot my entire Life, I would stay completely anonymous myself, let alone my kids.
I think.
Being a Gypsy, it happens that I expose myself from time to time.
By now all Kuwait knows where I live, sigh. Time to move?
Being a girl in this country (sorry Middle Eastern people) just sucks a lot of times. Exposing yourself means possible molesting.
Am I paranoid? Nope, I can show you very weird emails I got for a harmless picture of me in a tight white top on a balcony…….
Anyhow, I’m rambling, I shouldn’t post before I had at least two coffee and 6 a.m. has passed, sorry
Thanks for your visit though and leaving a footprint
I’ll adopt your feed now and spread some linklove.
I have Alzheimers and if not doing so, I never find my way back, sigh….
Opal - She was naive. And the trouble is - people who wouldn’t dream of harming a soul themselves are often naive in these matters.
I’m glad the video is gone - there were a few, including ones showing how they “trained” the child. Apparently, she is the child of the director of the video.
At a guess, I would have said she was 18 months to 2 yrs. She played a landlord in the video and her job was to swear at Will Ferrell the actor - demanding the rent - calling him a bitch and other profanities. Then asking for beer, claiming to be drunk - you get the picture.
I only knew about the video because my kids told me about it. They thought it was funny. And that is another danger. If kids see someone in the public eye doing something, they often assume it must be ok.
Hi Nicole - that is scary. It must have been really upsetting to get hate mail. And it just shows that things that are “the normal thing to do” in one country can be really dangerous in another.
I love your pictures of Kuwait by the way.
Catherine,
I’m happy to see a post about this. I totally agree with you. Pictures of our children do not belong on the internet. There are just too many wackos out there, and who wants to visualize some pervert panting over your child’s photo. SICK!!!!
Although a pervert man not try to find you, they may start frequenting your site, hoping you will supply more.
I have see Perverted Justice and love what they are doing. It is absolutely amazing who they catch…teachers, preachers, and many who hold high public positions.
Although our children are grown, I do worry about our grandchildren, and certainly would not want their innocence taken away.
I say, keep kids pictures off of the internet. As parents and grandparents, we can do our part by not tempting the sickos.
Spread the word!!!!
Thanks Catherine. This was a great post.
Good post. I learned the hard way about putting pics of my kids online. I still do it, but I’m much more careful now. I had posted some pics of my kids playing in the mud, shirtless, on flickr, and they ended up in a GROSS man/boy group on there. I immediately changed the settings to private, and now I’m not as interested in putting my pics up there, unless they are of trees or something. Your post has inspired me to post about that experience!
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Hi Barbara - thanks. Like you - my stomach churns at the thought of those sickos getting off on kids pictures, never mind anything else.
I have checked out http://www.pervertedjustice.com and it looks like they’re doing a great job.
Hi Michelle - Thanks. You must have been absolutely livid. Check out the perverted justice site as you can report this type of thing on there and give the flickr names of those men.
I’m guilty. I’ve posted pictures of my daughter.
I didn’t even think about it. But I will now.
It is very sad that we have to think about these things.
I know Ian - I’ve seen the pic. But you were one of the naive - not the deliberately exploiting. And you are right - it is v sad that we have to think about these things at all.
The trouble is though - there is so much corruption in this world that half of these sickos are never punished. And when they are, the sentences are far too lenient.
[...] compliment this post, read an article written by Catherine, titled:“Are You Exploiting Your Child For The Sake Of Your Business”, in which she addresses the issue of posting your children’s pictures on your [...]
Hi Catherine,
I agree with you completely, as far as safety goes. I have made it a point not to mention my daughter’s name, and I haven’t posted her pictures (though she’s very beautiful). I am considering using one of her baby pictures, since she’s no longer a baby and unrecognizable except by family.
I’m not concerned about what a pervert may do or think with her picture, since she’s out and about in the world and I can’t control someone’s thoughts. But I am concerned about her being exposed to the internet without her consent. If she decides at an older age that she wants to be mentioned, I might. Though I’d probably use a pseudonym like Opal.
I’m not so sure about pictures. It took me a lot of soul-searching to even mention my hometown. But the reason for that is another story that I may or may not tell online.
Theda K.
Theda K.’s last blog post..Getting started as a freelance writer: Books to read
On my business website - I have to give my address and I hate that. But, it’s a Limited Company, so it’s the rules.
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Hi, nice post. I couldn’t understand some parts of the article but it sounds interesting..
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