These Common Hashtags Could Be Attracting Pedophiles To Pictures Of Your Kids Online

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There’s very little in this world more adorable than a toothy-grinned toddler splashing around in a bathtub or sitting perched on a potty. Something about the unrestrained exuberance of being naked brings out the inner child in all of us—we live vicariously through their carefree abandon.

And those little dimpled tushy cheeks? Cutest. Things. Ever.

Some of my favorite times with my son are those when he’s having a grand old time in our tub at the end of the day, sticking foam letters on the sides or reading books or shrieking hysterically while splashing water all over himself and me.

It’s impossible not to want to snap a picture or video and send it to family members. Or even post it to social media so that all your friends and followers can join you in cooing over your cherub’s antics. You snap the shot, select a filter, bang out a quick-but-cute caption, and slap on a hashtag. Maybe like one of these:

#BathTime
#PottyTraining
#NakedKids
#KidsBathTime
#BikiniKids
#PottySeat
#ToddlerBikini
#ToiletTraining
#NakedChild
#PottyPants
#KidsShower

Upload.

Innocent enough, right?

Except, maybe not.

The hashtags listed above are some of the most commonly used by pedophiles and sex offenders to find pictures of children on the internet, according to the Child Rescue Coalition, which launched its Kids for Privacy campaign last month.

According to the coalition, parents will post an average of 1500 pictures of their child before he or she turns five. If you’re anything like me, it’s probably way more.

Which leads me to the question: when was the last time you checked your privacy settings? The coalition urges parents to make sure their social media profiles are private. And if that’s not an option for you, maybe it’s best to just not post the picture at all. Send it through a text to your family and friends instead.

There’s no denying that our kids do the cutest things sometimes. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to share those moments. But it should never come at the cost of your child’s privacy or safety.

And that #bathtime or #pottytraining hashtag? Looks like that one’s getting flushed down the toilet in our household.

You may also want to read:

Not My Child: Protecting My Son from a Sexual Predator

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Emily Solberg

Emily Solberg is a soldier, military spouse, mom of two, and fierce advocate of women supporting women. The goal of her writing is to help others feel less alone in their parenting journeys, and she isn’t afraid to share the hard parts of her own. You can find more from her over on Facebook and Instagram at Shower Arguments with Emily Solberg.

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