Why, why, why do people post photos of their minor children on the web? I don’t get it and I see it all the time. Supposedly smart people but every day on Facebook, blogs and other social networking sites I see pictures of children. I want to scream!

I understand that people are proud parents. I am one too. But I can’t begin to count the number of parents who refuse to put their children at risk by posting personal information and photos. The argument I hear most often: “It’s a private group, I have to approve the friends.”

Really? It is? I know for a fact that I can see personal photos on Facebook when I’m not even someone’s approved Friend. Maybe that’s because I’m friends with a friend who’s approved; I don’t know why, but I know I see baby faces all the time from people who aren’t listed as my Friend. And can these people honestly tell me that they know each and every one of their Friends well enough to trust them with their children’s lives?

I personally trust very few with the lives of my children. And just like the safe-sex campaign that you can’t know every lover your lover has had and it’s like sleeping with every single one of them, those parents who display their children’s photos can’t know all the Friends of Friends and the stalkers of Friends. They are fooling themselves if they really don’t see anything wrong with this practice.

A year ago I received an email with a link to a video of someone’s adorable little daughter sniffing the Scentsy candle sticks. This person emailed it to a large group of people “Aww look how cute.” Within 20 minutes I was able to tell the sender where this adorable little girl lived, where she went to church, which preschool she attended, where her parents worked, and other personal information about her. If I could find that information that easily, then a child molester or abductor could too.

These same parents are protective of what they will and will not allow their children to do, both online and offline, all in the name of protecting their children. However, these are the same people who see nothing wrong with making your children’s private and confidential information available to the entire World Wide Web.

Ironically, if you go to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and you will see the following tips for parents to give their children about Internet safety. However, it is these same parents who do not comply:

Tips for Parents and Guardians

Talk to your children about

or not give out personal information, such as names, school, city, or email address. This includes making or posting plans and activities on the site.

or post photos online; once an image is posted anywhere on the internet (even on a profile set to private), it may never be completely erased from the internet, even if it is deleted

or the dangers of communicating with people they have never met in person. Remind them that people on the Internet are not always who they say they are.

or reach out to you or another trusted adult if they ever feel threatened or uncomfortable with something online

or use your privacy settings to restrict who can and cannot access your profile or blog. Teach children to accept people as friends only if they know and trust them in real life.

· Control what your child’s friends post regarding your child’s identity. Children and their friends often have accounts linked to each other, so you don’t just need to worry about your child’s profile and information.

I am in awe of people who post photos of their minor children. I have friends and family who do this every day. They tell me I’m crazy; I am overprotective. I’m here to tell you that 628,680 families will tell you otherwise:

Since its inception in March 1998, the CyberTipline has received more than 628,680 complaints related to the possession, manufacture and distribution of child pornography, online solicitation of children for sexual acts, child prostitution, child sex tourism, child abuse (not in the family), unsolicited obscene material sent to a child, and misleading domain names.