Keeping Your Visual Identity Safe on Social Network Sites

One of the great things about the widespread use of broadband Internet is that we’re able to share large files such as photos really easily. Combine this with the huge boom in social networking and Bob’s your uncle, it seems everyone is sharing their pictures online.

For parents, it’s only natural to want to show off your kids to the world, but of course there are some dangers to be wary of. There was the recent story of an American family whose family Christmas card had been used for advertising in the Czech Republic without their knowledge, not to mention the potential ammunition for fraudsters to be had from such freely available visual information.

Here are five tips you that will go a good way in helping to preserve your images and protect your visual identity:

1. Avoid uploading too many pictures

Although a picture is worth a thousand words, if one is not really necessary, you should refrain from posting it. This is probably the simplest way to avoid image theft.

2. Check the privacy options

Many social networking platforms offer several options for restricting access to the content you post, including uploaded photos. You can choose whether the data and images in your albums are public or available only to a limited number of people. Also, a good idea would be to refrain from involving third-party services or options, especially those asking you to reveal your social network login credentials.

3. Embed/Add a watermark

Another simple method to protect your visual content is to embed or add a visible (digital) watermark, such as your name or logo. Although it alters the image this practice will probably discourage any e-thief from stealing your photo and using it for a different purpose (i.e. identity forging or cases that involve copyright infringement). Professional image editing applications include such an option, but you could also search the Internet for freeware or on-line watermark creators with similar capabilities, or use the software that came with your digital camera.

4. Use low quality/small size images

Keep your images at a resolution of 72 dpi and, if possible, do not exceed a size of 640 x 480 pixels (like the image above). Although you won’t look as sharp as a model on the cover of a glossy magazine, people will still be able to recognise you. Plus, you will have more chances to keep your visual identity intact. Not to mention that you save quite a lot of the limited storage space, which social networking platforms provide.

5. Try not to post individual, portrait images

Photos of individuals (both adults and kids) have more chances to be lifted for nefarious purposes than those depicting groups, family or featuring subjects in nature or sets that are difficult to be otherwise removed from the picture.