ImageShield® Blog

What is Facial Recognition and Why is it Dangerous?

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:30:00 GMT

Surveillance technology has become increasingly common in public spaces, but is facial recognition software safe? Let’s explore what facial recognition is, how it works, and why you should be aware of its use.

How AI Deepfakes are Targeting Children

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:30:00 GMT

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology continually improves, so too does the ability to create realistic synthetic photos. While this technology can be used in harmless and fun ways, it can also be used to cause damage. One of the most harmful uses of this technology is deepfakes.

Who Is Misusing Your Child's Photos? It Could Be Anyone.

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Parents are often unaware of the dangers posed by posting photos of their children online, but child photo abuse – real and deepfake – is a growing problem. Once images of your child are on the internet, anyone can steal and abuse them, including strangers, child predators, family members, and even other kids or teens.

How Oversharing Online Can Lead to Real-Life Harm For Your Children

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Social media has made it easier than ever to share information about yourself online. Platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have completely normalized posting your personal information online for strangers to see, which presents a variety of safety risks for internet users. Among these risks are digital identity theft, photo manipulation, deepfakes, and cyberbullying. However, the potential dangers extend past the screen. Using data gathered online, strangers may be able to determine your location, allowing them to stalk or harass you in real life.

Holiday Tech Gifts: 6 Tips to Keep Your Child Safe With Technology

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 13:30:00 GMT

Holiday wish lists from kids aren’t like they used to be — now, every year it seems their wish lists contain at least one new form of technology, from phones, gaming consoles, digital watches, and more. Although new tech gifts can be exciting for the whole family, they aren’t without risks.

How Your Child’s Photo Could Be Used to Steal Their Identity

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:00:00 GMT

One of the biggest advantages of social media is its ability to foster communication between people all over the world. If you have family or friends living across the country or even on an entirely different continent, social media can be an excellent way to keep them updated on your life, despite the distance. In particular, many parents use social media to share photos of their children, documenting their growth and immortalizing every adorable moment for loved ones to gush over.

What is Digital Kidnapping and Can it Happen to Your Child?

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Over the past few decades, new forms of technology have opened up a variety of modern avenues for communication, including long-distance phone calls, instant messaging, and video calling. The medium of communication that has had arguably the biggest impact on our culture, however, is social media. From Instagram to Facebook to TikTok to Twitter, the list of social networking platforms goes on and on. For better or for worse, social media has become a part of our everyday lives, leaving us no choice but to adapt to the new challenges and dangers it presents.

The Dangers of Sharenting: How Your Child’s Photos Are Being Misused Online

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:15:00 GMT

From mom influencers and child influencers to the average parent’s daily posts of their children, sharenting has been on the rise for many years. Sharenting is when parents share photos and other information about their children on social media in excess.

Arm Your Teens with Media Literacy: How to Discuss Photo Abuse with Your Teens

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Social media is pervasive in our world today–especially for the average teenager. From selfies to location tagging, and “day in the life” videos shared on social media, it’s become increasingly common for teens to use social media and overshare details of their lives online. In one survey, around two-thirds of teens (65%) reported that they use social media multiple times a day (Bartlett, 2023), while 46% of teens reported in another study that they are online almost constantly (SmartSocial, 2022).

Photo and Privacy Tips for Parents: How to Protect Your Children From Photo Abuse

Michael Gallagher — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The safety and privacy of a child are the top priority for every parent–but many parents are unaware of the dangers of sharing photos and basic information about their children online. Excessively sharing children on social media has been so popular among parents that there is a term for this called “sharenting.” This is when parents and even family members of children overshare every detail of their kids lives on social media.