In the age of AI, I still share my kids’ photos online – but here’s where I draw the line on what to post

The first time I shared a photo of my firstborn son online, he was just 30 days old.

I was still adjusting to motherhood, revelling in the fact that I now had a baby boy.

Sure, I could have shouted it from the rooftops, but posting it on social media felt like the easiest way to tell the world.

Now that he’s four years old, I still find myself scrolling back to that photo, trying to remember how tiny those hands were.

Or when conversations about the newborn stage come up, I go straight to that picture and say: “This was how small he was!”

On my account page, I know exactly where to find it among my dozens of posts – unlike scrolling endlessly through the thousands of items in my phone gallery, which would take ages.

I’ve always found it heartwarming to capture and share memories of my children online. But now, I often find myself wondering how much of our children’s lives we should share online, especially in an age of artificial intelligence (AI) where every photo can be re-edited in seconds.

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HAS TRANSFORMED PARENTING

Social media has transformed modern parenting into a highly visible and heavily scrutinised experience. On one hand, it offers parents access to a wealth of information, support groups and expert advice. 

It has also helped normalise honest conversations about the challenges of parenthood, such as burnout, postpartum depression and mental health.