A Shocking Incident: A Grad Student's Horrific Act
Nov 26, 2024 at 9:18 PM
A 27-year-old graduate student was recently discovered using pictures of real children on the internet to create AI child porn for pedophiles. This heinous act not only made my skin crawl but also led me to ponder a question that I've been encountering more and more frequently. "Kim, I don't want pictures of my kids on social media. How do I tell friends and family without coming across as preachy?"Your Kids, Your Rules
It is completely reasonable for you to want your kids' faces off the web. The fact remains that creeps often scan public accounts in search of children to prey on. Moreover, it has become easier than ever for pedophiles to pose as kids and groom your child on platforms like Snapchat and Roblox. Posting your kids on Facebook or Instagram essentially gives Meta the green light to use those images to train its AI models. Unfortunately, the law is lagging behind in this regard. As parents, it is our responsibility to safeguard our children.Related: Stop Facebook from using your data to train AISocial media applications on an iPhone screen. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Keep Things Drama-Free
Avoid an awkward situation by informing people before a gathering. Most people have good intentions, but they may not be aware of the risks associated with sharing kids' photos online, especially if they are not parents themselves. This is about you and your kids, not about them. Use "I" and "we" statements and avoid telling others how to parent. Share your reasoning or simply send them a link to this story. Be clear and firm and leave no room for ambiguity when it comes to public posting. Have the conversation one-on-one, either via email or text, in a private setting rather than in a group message.SMARTPHONE TRICKS EVERY IPHONE AND ANDROID USER SHOULD KNOWI've prepared an example for you to copy: "Hey, I wanted to let you know in advance that we'd like to keep photos of the kids off the internet for privacy and safety reasons. (We came across some stories that really scared us!) If you could refrain from posting pics of them on social media, we would truly appreciate it!"Related: The secret to get better pics of you and your familyIf It's Already Posted...
Don't panic. Reach out to the person as soon as possible and ask them to remove the post by providing a link to the specific post. I recommend using text for this rather than leaving a comment on a public post, as it may feel like you are publicly calling them out. Use this message: "Hey, I completely forgot to mention this, but we are keeping pictures of the kids offline for now. Could you take this post down or repost it with their faces hidden? An emoji works great!"Related: Posting pics of kids on social media: Do’s and don’tsThe Safest Way to Share Pics with Friends
Not sharing photos of your kids publicly doesn't mean you can't share at all. My suggestion is to create an invite-only album for close family and friends.In Google Photos: You can do this on your phone or computer. Just open the Google Photos app or website.On a computer: Click Photos and select the photo you want to share. At the top, click the + icon > Shared album > New shared album. Add a title, then hit Share. You can choose to create a link, search for contacts or share on social media.On mobile: Tap the + icon > Album. Name your album and add the photos you want to share. Select Get Link to generate a private link, add specific email addresses or share through a messaging app or social media.Finally, make sure the Link Sharing toggle is off for maximum privacy, so only invited users can view the album.In Apple Photos: You can create and share on your iPhone, iPad or Mac using the Photos app.First, you need to enable Shared Albums.On iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn on Shared Albums.On a Mac: Open the Photos app. From the menu bar at the top, choose Photos > Settings. (In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Photos > Preferences.) Select the iCloud tab, then Shared Albums.Now create and share your album.On Mac or iPhone/iPad running iOS 18: In Photos, scroll down to Shared Albums > Shared Albums > Create. Add a name, images and then choose people from your contacts, type an email address or add iMessage phone number. Tap Done.On iOS 17 or earlier: Go to Albums > + (add button) > New Shared Album. Add a name, images and then choose people from your contacts, type an email address or add iMessage phone number.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPGet tech-smarter at your own pace. Award-winning host Kim Komando is your go-to resource for navigating the tech world.Copyright 2025, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.
