A group of school children singing nondenominational holiday tunes while dressed in red and green might not seem very interesting, but when your child is among them, it suddenly becomes very special. So special, in fact, that you often record it for all of eternity — and send that recording to friends and relatives.
But while recording holiday performances and school plays is pretty common, controversy enters the chat when these videos are put online. Is it rude to put a kid performance on social media? Is it okay if there are dozens of other children in the video, who are unnamed but may still be recognizable?
One mom on TikTok wants you to know that she doesn’t appreciate it at all. Sarah, who runs the popular TikTok channel @mom.uncharted, thinks that it’s a clear privacy issue and wants none of it.
“If you are at your child’s Christmas concert this year, that’s great. Film, take pictures, have a great time. But don’t upload the footage publicly online. Not all of us want our children circulating on the internet. Not all of us want strangers knowing where they go to school. It’s an issue of privacy and consent. So just don’t do it. Thanks.”
She adds in the caption, “Send to Grandma via text or email — not publicly on social media.”
Down in the comments, viewers had thoughts — and the vast majority agreed with the sentiment.
“It’s shocking that people need to be told this,” one person wrote.
Many people added that their schools have specific instructions or policies about not sharing video.
“At my son’s school if you share without blurring faces you will not be allowed to come to another concert,” one mom shared.
“My son’s principal gave us very strict instructions to not put photos on social media 🥰 in the sweetest, but sternest way and I really appreciated it,” another commented.
One mom shared the super-important reason that she doesn’t want her kids online at all.
“I worry about this so much,” she wrote. “My son has three band concerts a year and we’re in hiding from my ex-husband for our safety. I’m so scared he’s going to see a video and find us.”
Well, that’s enough information for me to never, ever do this. Just create a group chat with Nana and other relatives and post the video there. And honestly: No one else cares a ton about your kid singing “Frosty the Snowman,” even if it’s adorable to you.
