Kids to Parents: Don't Post About Me on Social Media
New study finds kids don't want parents posting about them without asking first.
— -- Before you post that photo of your child on Facebook, be sure to ask for their permission.
According to a new survey investigating families and technology, that’s the social media rule kids want their parents to follow.
Alexis Hiniker led the research and heard from kids and their parents from 249 families across 40 states.
“They weren’t necessarily saying that parents shouldn’t be posting about them at all, they just wanted to have some control over their online image,” Hiniker, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, told ABC News.
The joint survey from the University of Washington and the University of Michigan, while not a scientific poll, found that children are embarrassed and frustrated about the content their parents are posting about them on social media.
New York City mother of three, Wendy Bradford, said she does her best to respect her children’s wishes when it comes to hitting the post button.
“I do ask my kids for permission most of the time,” said Bradford, author of the parenting blog mamaonetothree.com. “Because they’re so aware and they will say, ‘Is this going on Facebook?’ It is a topic of conversation.”
The rules are ever-changing on social media and its role in the family evolving and in a world where the majority of parents are on social media.
“I think it’s great that parents share pictures of their families. I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” Bradford said. “I think it’s a changing thing. As my children have become aware of social media, they have voiced their opinions and I can’t ignore that.”