Ask Amigos Question - Is it ok to post pictures of children on social media since they were taken in a public place, (library), or should we be obtaining permission from patrons to take their picture and post/publish them?

Ask Amigos - the Librarian's Reference Desk, our free service to Amigos members that provides information, referral, and resources delivered by phone and e-mail, recently received this question.

Is it ok to post pictures of children on social media since they were taken in a public place, (library), or should we be obtaining permission from patrons to take their picture and post/publish them?

Public Library Consultant Lynne Craddock sent this informative response: You should get the child’s parent or guardian consent when posting pictures of children to avoid any liability. Facebook has "a user's" policy to protect minors and children. See quote below from Chron – Small Business article: The Liability of Posting Photos on Facebook Without Permission. "…online sites must comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which has rules regarding the posting of identifying information including a child's school, home town or full name. Though this law does not apply to individuals, Facebook could remove photos that violate the rule at the request of a parent."