Erin Reynel is the mother of two young children, and is very careful about what she puts online.
In fact, "I post almost nothing on social media about my kids," said the founder of Vancouver’s Legendary Social Media.
She’s well aware of a concept called "over-sharenting," when moms and dads post every moment of their child’s life. Some parents put so much on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it can be annoying to their friends or followers.
But the abundance of posts is not what concerns Reynel the most. As she tells CTV News: "What goes on the web, stays on the web."
That shot of a toddler with spaghetti all over their face, or in the bathtub may seem innocent now, but when that child becomes an adult, the picture will potentially still exist. Then when a future employer is running a background check, those photos could pop-up.
"I make sure to stay away from anything that could be compromising," said Reynel.
Facebook launched in 2005. Now, more than a decade later, teens are joining the site for the first time, to find their childhood pictures are already all over the web.
"I would not want to be a high-schooler joining social media now , and realizing there are thousands of pictures of me as a kid," said Nina Winwood, also of Legendary Social Media.
She and Reynel agree it’s great to share proud moments of your child’s achievements, but suggest following the rule of thumb: don’t post if you wouldn’t want your boss seeing a similar shot of you.
"Children don't really have the opportunity to say whether or not they're comfortable with having their pictures on social media," adds Reynel.
