head shot

For years those more cynical have chastised the Ramseys for images of JonBenet found online or in the media. The big flaw being the Ramsey's did not distribute the images of JonBenet at family attended pageants for the world to gawk at, criticize at or drool over - depending on individual preference. Someone other than the Ramsey's initiated the distribution of JonBenet's images that went viral and has stayed that way.

Internet safety advocates have been talking and warning of the dangers of posting children's images online for years. Yet I can't count the number of blogs where holier than thou parents take out the Ramsey's for something they never did with JonBenet's pictures and in the click of the mouse the mommie or daddy critique blogger uploads images of their own children for who-knows-who to appreciate, or worse, in unexpected ways--

Guardians of Their Smiles

Published in the New York Times

by Peter DaSilva

"FOR Jessica Gwozdz, a professional photographer and mother of two, Flickr was a blessing. It allowed her to share photos of her children, Grace and Henry, with distant, tech-averse relatives for whom a username and password would have been too great an obstacle. It even allowed potential clients to freely browse her gallery.

Then a friend sent her an e-mail message with the kind of subject line no parent cares to read: “Oh no — it’s Gracie.”[...read more]

How safe do you think it is to post family style pictures and videos of your children on your blog or on sites like Facebook, Flicker, Myspace or YouTube?