Digital Moms Unite to Combat Privacy Threats
Posted by Lisa in Social Networks, tags: children, moms, parenting, privacy, safety, social networking, Social NetworksIn her post, Online Privacy: Photos Out of Control, Anne Collier provides a great summary of recent incidents where family photos online have been misused – some for commercial use and some to feed unhealthy appetites. These incidents should be a call to action for the online mom community. I strongly believe that a group that is as heavily invested in both social media as well as protecting our families can unite to develop ways to combat this threat.
Privacy Settings in Facebook
Moms are both fiercely protective and proud of their children. Therein lies a conflict. As much as we want to share our children’s triumphs and talents, we fear for their safety. In the online world, this threat has global implications. This week, I watched fellow St. Louis blogger, Danielle Smith of Extraordinary Mommy on the local news explaining how she learned that her family photo was on a commercial billboard in the Czech Republic. Kudos to Danielle for giving us all a wake-up call. In her post, Danielle wonders, is this the “price we pay for indulging in social media”?
I’m not sure that I agree that using social media is an indulgence. In today’s world, I feel it’s absolutely essential for moms to use these tools to connect, locate information, support each other, maintain long-distance relationships, and of course to understand the technology so they can both protect and teach their children. To me, not using social media would be like not using a cell phone. I just can’t imagine it.
Apparently, I’m not alone. Nielsen Online estimates that there are 32 million U.S. moms online. This is a force to be reckoned with. I’ve been so impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit of moms. I know that this group of digitally savvy moms can work together to develop and promote new tools and processes, persuade social media companies to add needed features and teach ourselves and our children how to communicate safely.
Privacy tips are available on most social networking sites and established communities. Here’s a sample:
Which features do you make the most use of? Do you find built-in privacy features easy to use? What steps do you take personally on your blog or social media profiles to protect sensitive photos and personal information?
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