Breathe
By Maria Alatriste
Recently, the issue of overexposure on social networks has caught my attention, especially when it involves minors. I have seen how some people share highly sensitive information about their children: from the school they attend to the places where they are at any given moment, making their location visible in real time. Often, these contents are presented as "harmless", but what starts as an innocent moment can end up as a mockery of children's daily habits and behaviors. There are those who post photos of them in the bathtub, capture intimate moments or simply turn them into objects of laughter and entertainment.
It is true that sharing photos of our children on social networks can be a beautiful experience. But many times people go overboard posting unnecessary details, videos and moments that in the future could be decontextualized. These digital footprints, which seem innocent in the present, can be a burden for them when they grow up. The dangers of sharing the most intimate details of our lives on social networks are numerous. Although we live in a world where digital presence is becoming increasingly important, it is crucial to know where the line is drawn. We must understand what we are sharing and ask ourselves if it could put our children's mental health at risk in the future. By sharing their lives so publicly, we are exposing them at an early age to potential dangers such as cyberbullying or bullying in their immediate environment.
As our children grow up, they may also face the anxiety associated with the search for "likes" or the need for online approval, something that, sadly, we adults also experience. Violence on social networks has reached alarming levels, however; there is a resistance to monitoring this violence, which many confuse with the defense of freedom of expression.
In the old days, social harassment used to be limited to the family showing our childhood photo album, bringing to light embarrassing moments that we could at least erase over time or when the album did not appear strategically. Today, what we upload to social networks has a perpetual permanence and that digital footprint can follow us all our lives. We don't know what someone will do with that information or where it will go.
Moreover, we cannot ignore that there are unscrupulous businesses that profit from this content in ways we would rather not imagine. As hard as it is for us to face it, we must recognize thatthere are unscrupulous businesses, the most lucrative of which are related to child exploitation and abuse in its most heinous forms. This is a harsh and disturbing reality that we cannot ignore.
I just had a disconcerting personal experience. A couple of months ago I saw a woman walking with two small children asking me for money, she told me they were her children. Instead of giving her money, I offered her clothes that my son was no longer wearing because it seemed like a more useful way to help. I agreed to see her the next day and gave them to her, but I noticed that the woman did not seem so satisfied. Maybe she was expecting something new, something more, but I understood that her circumstances were complicated and I tried to be empathetic.
However, about two weeks later, I met another woman with the same children, and when I asked her if she was their mother, she said yes. Everything in her story matched: the rebozo, the children and the same circumstances. I couldn't help but be suspicious and think of worst-case scenarios. There are so many things we don't want to see because there is no way to understand, it hurts. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
This episode taught me a valuable lesson: we must take a closer look at the world and be aware that not everyone acts with good intentions. Not all people have a genuine purpose and some may be looking to take advantage of the circumstances of our indiscretion.
Therefore, my invitation in this opinion column is that we learn to protect our children more, not only in real life, but also in the digital world. That we share content in a conscious way, always thinking about their welfare and the traces we leave in their path, so that they do not end up being victims of something they never wanted to be.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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