Images of children and young people online

This Resource Sheet provides information about safety and good practice when images of children and young people are displayed. It outlines the legal obligations for Internet users and discusses some of the emerging issues associated with online images produced by children and young people, such as sexting and cyberbullying. Summary The Internet has become a popular communication tool for children and young people, as well as adults, businesses and organisations. There are a range of reasons why people or organisations might wish to publish images of people online, including for recording, documenting and advertising or for promoting an organisation\u27s activities and experiences. Organisations involved with children and young people, such as sporting and performing arts groups, often include photos or visual recordings of children and young people on their websites to promote their activities or services. Many children and young people also share images of themselves and their friends on social networking websites such as Facebook, and on their own blogs and web pages. The accessibility of the Internet and the increasing popularity of social networking sites for both young people and adults has made the sharing and disseminating of images very easy. This has resulted in concerns about the safety and welfare of children and young people online, and protection of their privacy. This Resource Sheet provides information about safety and good practice when images of children and young people are displayed online. It outlines the legal obligations for Internet users who post images of children and young people on the Internet, and some of the emerging issues associated with the displaying of online images by children and young people. Guidance is also provided for supporting children and young people to be safe online. Throughout this paper, a child or young person refers to a person under the age of 18 years