▲ Social Networking Service (SNS)
As Japan enters its autumn sports day season, a series of controversies have erupted after photos of children and grandchildren posted on social media inadvertently exposed the personal information of others.
According to BSS, a regional broadcaster serving Tottori and Shimane prefectures in southwestern Japan, on October 15, numerous photos of children's sports days have recently been posted on major social platforms like Threads. However, many of these posts display the faces of other people's children without pixelation or blur, or reveal specific schools and residential areas through name tags, school signs, and surrounding backgrounds, drawing ongoing criticism.
In particular, it has been found that grandparents, who are less familiar with information technology environments, frequently fuel the controversy by uploading such photos as public posts without safety settings such as private or friends-only modes.
Experts point out that once photos are distributed online, they are easily saved and spread, remaining as a permanent "digital tattoo" that is difficult to delete, which ultimately increases the risk of exposure to crimes.
In fact, experts warn that for families who must hide their residences due to domestic violence or stalking, their locations could be tracked through posts on other people's social media accounts.
One parent shared, "Because my child ended up in someone else's social media post, I am terrified that my estranged ex-spouse might find out which school my child currently attends."
Consequently, educational institutions are urging people to refrain from sharing event photos on social media, but older generations, such as grandparents, are failing to fully recognize these risks.
An education official emphasized that children are not the property of their guardians, stressing that adults urgently need to exercise careful consideration by checking whether others' faces are blurred and whether personal information is exposed before posting online.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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