# Parents: If I Posted Pics of Your Kids on Facebook **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-if-i-posted-pics-of-your-kids-on-facebook/626640 "2012-06-28T23:23:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-if-i-posted-pics-of-your-kids-on-facebook/626640/41 "2012-07-07T08:27:14Z")
> [@gallan](#): > > What strikes me as odd is that you seem to be implying that the internet has somehow lowered our natural inhibitions in regards to privacy, as if people said, “What can I do with this new technology? Hey, I know! I’ll share information about Novelty Bobble’s family that was once completely secret and unknowable!” The world changes, but people don’t. Before the internet if someone wanted to keep themselves to themselves then they pretty much could. Your interactions with family and friends would only get broadcast among those physically present or perhaps in passing conversation at a later date. It may be mentioned in a phone call or letter and maybe you’d break out the photo album once in a while but those methods have a naturally restricted reach. It takes effort to do it. > [@](#): > > People weren’t anti-social before social networking. Quite the opposite, from what I understand. When did we come up with the notion that prior to the internet, everyone hid in their houses and never talked to anyone? How many people could you talk to at once? how long did the conversation linger? I think there is no doubt that the ease of sharing has led to an increase of sharing and people are seemingly loosing a sense of perspective about what they are actually doing and the effect it may have. The immediacy and the reach of social media means an off-hand remark or opinion said in jest or alcoholic haze can be broadcast to the world in the blink of an eye. Not a good thing. > [@](#): > > People didn’t just suddenly become interested in the mundane details of the lives of strangers when Facebook was invented. Not everyone is interested though, and I don’t think that is a particularly admirable trait but it was one that used to be restricted by the effort taken to gather and disseminate the details. Not so much now. > [@](#): > > They’ve always been interested. The only difference is that our social circles are no longer restricted by geography. I’d argue also that your social circle is no longer even restricted by someone actually _being_ part of your social circle! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-if-i-posted-pics-of-your-kids-on-facebook/626640/42 "2012-07-07T11:23:25Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > The latter is more specific but not substantially different. Imagine your second entry written as it relates to _your_ life only. > > “the Smiths are visiting, I’ve had an early breakfast as their body clocks are off through travelling and everyone was up at six. Being a good hostess I’m not going to let them starve! I’m popping to the shops now to replenish the larder after breakfast (and the house is now quiet as jet lag kicks in) We’re all off to the zoo when they eventually wake up.” > > All written by you, about you and yet most definitely giving exactly the same information in you “weirder” scenario. And yet I see that as different, since it’s about the host’s life, not a blow by low of someone else’s. I really understand that to you it would still be intrusive. I’m not trying to convince you otherwise. I’m simply explaining why MsWhatsit asked the question earlier- to her (and me) they are different situations. To just report on a guest’s doings does cross the line to where we can see why’d you be squicked out a bit. If they included themselves, it’s less problematic, in my mind. So it was a reasonable initial question she asked, for clarification. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-if-i-posted-pics-of-your-kids-on-facebook/626640.md?page=2)