A child crimes detective is urging parents to think twice before posting swimsuit photos of their kids online.
Texas-based Seth Cockerham, who works on internet crimes against children investigations and goes by @healthy_cop on social media, said that while many parents view such photos as harmless holiday snaps or family memories, the concern lies in what happens after an image is uploaded.
“I know the picture is innocent, you know it’s innocent, but once you put it online, you have no control over who saves it, where it goes or what happens to it next,” the 33-year-old told Newsweek.
Cockerham explained that advances in artificial intelligence have created new risks, as images can potentially be altered or manipulated in ways parents never intended.
“Would you be okay if that exact picture was saved on a grown adult’s phone or computer?” he said. “Because you don’t know who is downloading it or what their intentions are toward your child.”
The warning feeds into a wider debate about “sharenting”—the practice of parents sharing photos and details of their children’s lives online.
According to a survey conducted in 2021 by security.org, more than 75 percent of parents share information about their children on social media, while fewer than one in four seek their child’s permission before posting.
The results also found that around eight in 10 parents had followers they had never met in person.
Cockerham said one of the most common mistakes parents make is assuming their social media accounts are effectively private.
He pointed out that private profiles can still have audiences of 200 to 500 people, raising questions about how well parents know everyone viewing their posts.
In a clip on TikTok, Cockerham stated that many parents aren’t fully aware of the dangers of sharing images of children online, particularly photographs showing children in swimsuits, diapers or other revealing clothing.
“Creating a digital footprint for your child should be something that you’re careful with,” he said.
Drawing on his professional experience, the detective said he has encountered cases where photographs originally posted by parents were later found stored alongside child sexual abuse material on offenders’ devices.
He also said that images uploaded to family social media accounts had been downloaded and discussed in online groups that shared sexual fantasies involving children.
For parents who still want to keep loved ones updated, Cockerham recommended sharing photos directly with trusted friends and relatives rather than posting them publicly.
“If that’s not [an] option, then try posting publicly without the child’s face included… wearing full clothing, not revealing things,” he said.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Emma Lee-Sang
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