Emoji cover trend
Many parents share photos but try to hide a child’s identity.
Some use emojis on faces to protect privacy on public platforms.
AI raises risks
Posting photos can be risky, especially with AI manipulation tools.
The article cites people using X’s AI Grok to digitally undress women.
Expert calls it useless
Lisa Ventura, an award-winning cybersecurity specialist, spoke to The Independent.
“I need to be brutally honest here – putting an emoji over a child’s face provides virtually no real privacy protection whatsoever,” he said.
“This approach is more security theatre than actual security.”
Profile builds over time
Ventura said most parents share many images across months or years.
Meanwhile, the combined posts can create a bigger privacy problem.
She said parents are “still sharing massive amounts of identifiable information”.
Also, a school uniform can help others learn more, as it “all builds a profile”.
“Every photo you upload trains facial recognition algorithms and builds advertising profiles,” she continued.
However, Ventura said people cannot remove the emoji to reveal faces.
What parents can do
Public figures, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, use this trend.
Actor Orlando Bloom has shared photos with emoji-covered faces too.
Ventura said the safest option is not posting children publicly.
“If you wouldn’t hand a physical copy of that photo to a complete stranger in the street, don’t post it online,” she said.
“Children deserve to have that right protected until they’re old enough to make informed decisions about their own digital footprint.”