Parents are massively sharing photos of their children on social media. It feels like a gesture of care and closeness. It is becoming a norm of digital communication. But at the same time, it creates risks, warns Oleksii Kostenko, Doctor of Law and Head of the Scientific Laboratory of Immersive Technologies and Law at the Institute of Information, Security and Law of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Humanitarian Media Hub reports.
“We already live in a reality where an ordinary photo can become a tool of manipulation,” he notes in a publication for ZN.ua.
The danger lies in the audience. Many parents have followers they do not know in real life. This means weak control over children’s content. Platforms allow materials to be copied, altered and saved without the author’s consent.
Generative AI has made it easier to create convincing fakes. A fragment of a photo or video can become new “credible” content. A person cannot always distinguish between the original and the fake. This undermines trust.
In Ukraine, the risk is even more tangible due to the war. Parents want to show that their child is alive and safe. But along with emotional support, sensitive data may enter the network. This may include geolocation, schools, routes, or shelters. Such details can be used for pressure, blackmail, or information attacks.
Read also: A Large Group of Children and Teenagers Returned to Ukraine from Occupation
