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pictures and privacy

I have many friends who are extremely cautious about posting pictures of their children anywhere on the internet. Whether it be Facebook, their blog, twitter, or instagram, they either won't post pictures at all, or make sure to obscure their faces. I do my best to respect those wishes. It's their children; their responsibilities and viewpoints. Since my family is scattered across many states, and social media is one of many ways we communicate, that's not our policies. But I've thought about this a lot more lately as blogger has posted notices about Europe's stricter privacy policies, especially with pictures. A college friend who lives in Spain commented once that they can't use certain pictures in letters because of privacy laws. I find it a little funny and strange (and sad) that Europe is viewing individual privacy as more important than America does. I thought our nation was supposed to be the one that was more individualistic, but turns out, we're not.

There are many times I wonder how wise it is to post so much on social media. But I view this blog as a way of sharing my thoughts with family and friends, as well as a means of keeping a record of my life - a new way of journaling. And when my parents were here a few weeks ago, I hesitated to post pictures of their trip on social media, but knew my siblings and relatives would want to see them. What easier way for us to have a group conversation and banter with each other than Facebook? It's not the same as being together, but it's a decent second to that.

I'm trying to be more careful and cautious with what I post, but not at the expense of sharing things with my family. It's a delicate balance, and for now I'm leaning more toward the side of communication.

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