How to 'Privacy-Proof' baby’s digital footprint

22 Jul

The moment that double pink line appears, you aren’t just growing a human; you’re growing a new data profile. Before bubs can even hold their head up, Big Tech likely knows their due date (not us though - we don’t keep your data!!), your preferred brand of stretch-mark cream, and exactly how many times you’ve Googled “is brie cheese aaaaactually forbidden?”

In this new age area our kids often have a digital footprint before they have a footprint in the sand. If you’re a bit protective of your little one’s future presence online (and let’s be honest, their right to not have their diaper blow-out photos searchable in 2044), here is how to privacy-proof your pregnancy and beyond.

1. Audit Your Period tracking + Pregnancy Apps

Most pregnancy trackers are data-hungry monsters. They want your weight, your mood, and your intimate symptoms so they can sell that profile to advertisers. This is exactly why I’m so passionate about Nineish Months being a privacy-by-design space.

If an app is free, you (and your baby) are usually the product :( Look for apps that don't require an account to login and/or find ones that only keep your data on your device, not in the cloud.

2. The "Over-eager-relatives" chat (Do it Early)

Aunty Linda means well, but she’s one "Post" button away from sharing your baby’s full name, birth weight, and hospital location with her 800 Facebook friends (half of whom are strangers she accidentally accepted over the years).

Set the ground rules now. Decide if you’re okay with photos on social media at all. If you are, consider a "no faces" rule (suggest cute emojis over faces) or a private, invite-only sharing app. Whatever your boundary, communicate it before the birth high hits and your phone starts buzzing. We also have a handy visitors sharing image so it takes the stigma away from you just sounding bossy. Check it out on this page, share away! We’ll take the flack on your behalf hehe

3. Scrub the Metadata

Did you know a photo taken on your phone often stores the exact GPS coordinates of where it was taken? If you’re posting a nursery snap, you might be accidentally sharing your home address with the world. Before you post or send photos to group chats, check your phone settings to disable "Location Tags" on your camera.

Keep an eye out for really obvious regular landmarks in your images too - Like your local cafe name - nobody can track you down from an old holiday at disneyland, but if ‘The honey pot cafe’ keeps popping up every 5 images you’re giving people a lot more information than you realise.

4. The Name Game

It’s tempting to grab the Instagram handle or Gmail address for your baby the second you settle on a name. But keep in mind: even registering these accounts starts a digital paper trail. If you do it, use a "burner" email or a VPN to keep their identity disconnected from your own browsing habits for as long as possible. And consider creating them a nickname@gmail.com if you really need one rather than james.arther.smith.the.3rd@gmail.com.

Privacy isn't about being paranoid;
it’s about giving your child the gift of a blank slate.

They deserve to choose what the world knows about them. By being a little "low-key" now, you’re making sure their story belongs to them, not Big Tech’s unforgiving database.