Is there a way for me to post videos of my toddler online without worrying about being investigated as a paedophile?
December 24, 2010 10:05 AM   Subscribe

Is there a way for me to post videos of my toddler online - which include some of her in the bathtub - without worrying about being investigated as a paedophile?

I've finally gotten round to collecting all of the photos and videos we shot of our now-two-year-old daughter, and I want to post them online, both to ensure a safe archive in "the cloud," and so her overseas grandparents can see them as well.

But some of the collection include photos and video of her in the bathtub and running around naked, and I'm worried that this is likely to invite a visit from the FBI or Homeland Security.

I've thought about posting them to Flickr or YouTube under the "private" setting, where (supposedly) only family members will be able to access them, but I'd hate to have my accounts frozen or shut down if this content sends up a red flag somehow.

I've read this comment on a previous question, and this whole discussion, and both simply succeeded in making me more paranoid about the whole thing.

I'm posting anonymously, because frankly, I'm already nervous about the threat of having my phone tapped or something merely because I've asked a question like this. I want to protect my own privacy and security - and my daughter's as well, of course.

I realize that maybe the safest answer is simply to copy all of the content to CDs or flash-drives and then distribute those media to the family, but my goodness, isn't there some way of doing it safely online by now?
posted by anonymous to Computers & Internet (15 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
It doesn't look like anyone is cracking down on baby-bathing videos on YouTube. I think you'll be fine.
posted by griphus at 10:13 AM on December 24, 2010


How large are the videos? You could use a service like YouSendIt to distribute the videos for downloading to relatives. Frankly, the idea of putting vids of my toddler in the tub on a public site like YouTube kind of concerns me. But, that's just me.

Once you've posted the videos to your YouTube account, you can tag them as Unlisted. An unlisted video does not show-up on YouTube unless you have provided someone with the link to the video. This would be a way to post your toddler's videos without exposing to everyone in the world. Just email the links to your family members.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:29 AM on December 24, 2010 [2 favorites]


Set up a dropbox account and create a shared folder that you only share with family members. The files are saved in the cloud but only people you authorize can easily access them.
posted by ilikecookies at 10:34 AM on December 24, 2010 [1 favorite]


(Of course, Thorzdad makes an excellent point w/r/t being personally uncomfortable with such videos being publicly accessable.. I'm just saying you shouldn't worry about the Authorities banging down your door.)
posted by griphus at 10:36 AM on December 24, 2010


I've posted toddler bathtub videos to Youtube, using the unlisted feature. Family members have seen them, and there have been no knocks on the door or investigations launched. As far as I know anyway!
posted by Joh at 10:46 AM on December 24, 2010


I use Vimeo which allows one to password-protect videos for that sort of thing. But an unlisted Youtube video would probably be fine.
posted by troubles at 11:33 AM on December 24, 2010


Another vote here for unlisted YouTube videos, and Vimeo's password-protect feature, which is really easy and doesn't require the viewer to have an account. Also: you can upload the videos to facebook and select it to be viewable by only certain friends, although that would require the viewer to have a facebook account.

I think you're OK with the authorities. Has anyone ever been arrested for videotaping their kid in the bathtub? The context of the videos should be pretty clear.
posted by incessant at 2:10 PM on December 24, 2010


Related.
posted by AngerBoy at 2:21 PM on December 24, 2010


If your level of anxiety about this is accurately reflected in your post, and you're not just being hyperbolic, I don't think you're a candidate for uploading the naked videos anywhere. Consider that you don't know what website rules will change, heck, what laws or morals will change, and you've got a bell you can't unring. Edit your videos, take the naked stuff out, and upload without identifying information.
posted by sageleaf at 2:24 PM on December 24, 2010


Instead of looking for ways to make publicly-posted content more private, look into photosharing services. Photoshelter and SmugMug are both very well-respected, look great, will be easy for people to use, provide security, and are intended to also be an archive.
posted by desuetude at 3:34 PM on December 24, 2010


I've read this comment on a previous question, and this whole discussion, and both simply succeeded in making me more paranoid about the whole thing.

I'm posting anonymously, because frankly, I'm already nervous about the threat of having my phone tapped or something merely because I've asked a question like this. I want to protect my own privacy and security - and my daughter's as well, of course.


Respectfully, I don't even see how these two questions are relevant. You're not posting sexual photos or broadcasting anything nationally.

I don't know if you have a guilty conscience about photographing your kids or someone has made you incredibly defensive or what, but I can't imagine why you would fear getting your phone tapped because you asked this question.
posted by desuetude at 3:36 PM on December 24, 2010 [1 favorite]


As someone who represents people who have photos that get them investigated for possession of child pornography, please rest assured that the toddler bath photos that all parents take are not the kind of thing that the FBI is interested in. When you see the kind of photos that generate police interest, they are so far away from innocent toddler bath photos that you throw up in your mouth.

Without any "lewd or lascivious" content, you aren't placing a target on yourself for federal investigation. If the prospect of sharing photos online seriously has you so freaked out that you post anonymously and think your phone will be tapped and that those in charge of securing the country against terrorism will seek you out, maybe online photo sharing isn't for you.
posted by *s at 4:24 PM on December 24, 2010 [1 favorite]


In defense of the OP and his concerns about the FBI, I know an increasing number of normal and well-adjusted people who, thanks to media hysteria, are developing a morbid fear that the government is watching their every move, or at least will be if they do anything, innocently or not, to step out of line. I helped a friend get a virus off his computer which involved porn popups, and he was actually frightened that he might be investigated by the police or the FBI because pictures, apparently of adult nekkid women, were bobbing up on his computer unbidden.

Some of it is ignorance of what all the internet can and can't do, or what the FBI can and can't do, and some of it I think is the times we live in, where we're never sure if we can take that bottle of pop on the airplane or not.
posted by randomkeystrike at 6:31 AM on December 25, 2010


If you post nude baby pictures publicly, they are somewhat likely to be found by pedophiles and sold/traded for sexual gratification. Naked babies are really cute, but even babies should have the right to privacy. The internet is fairly permanent and I would not expose anything to the internet that might cause embarassment in 15 years. That said, posting non-sexual naked baby pics is not likely to cause you legal trouble.
posted by Mom at 6:57 AM on December 25, 2010


My wife posted a video on Youtube of my kids in a wading pool - nothing prurient, all clothed. Every now and then I get a creepy comment or email about it. So even if you're not worried about prosecution, consider the possibility that you may be disturbed by the reaction you get.
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:11 PM on December 26, 2010


« Older roku vs. boxee   |   Stats on men who are falsely accused? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.