Parents can be jailed for sharing their child's photos on social media in this country

French lawmakers have taken a significant step to protect the privacy and well-being of children online by approving new legislation that prohibits parents from posting photos of their kids on social media. The proposed law, which was put forward by MP Bruno Studer from President Emmanuel Macron's party, was unanimously approved by the National Assembly earlier this month.

The legislation seeks to empower parents and show young people that their image is not something that their parents have an absolute right over. According to Studer, the law aims to tackle the issue of parents unknowingly contributing to child pornography by sharing their children's photos online. Shockingly, the bill reveals that 50 per cent of the photographs traded on child pornography forums originated from parents who shared them on social media.

As a member of the delegation for children's rights, Studer said that he is committed to ensuring that children's privacy is respected both offline and online.

"A 13-year-old child has an average of 1,300 images of themselves circulating on the internet. These are photos that can be misused for child pornography or that can lead to bullying in the school environment," Struder said in an interview with Le Monde.

While the new law has been praised by many child rights activists and experts, some argue that it does not go far enough. Thomas Rohmer, the founder of l’Observatoire de la Parentalité et de l’Education Numérique, believes that the law only scratches the surface of the problem. Rohmer specifically referred to the case of French influencer and former reality TV star Jessica Thivenin, who received widespread criticism after she smeared chocolate on her four-year-old son's hands and face, telling him it was faeces.

Clinical psychologist Vanessa Lalo also highlighted to Le Monde the harm caused by such pranks or acts that aim to scare children. According to Lalo, these actions can lead to a sense of betrayal and a lack of trust in adults.

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