Your child’s photo is all they need. Twelve years ago, when I started speaking with parents, the biggest concern I had around social media and inappropriate images was that somebody had to take the picture. And then somebody had to send it. Which meant you largely had to either convince someone to take that picture, steal it without their knowledge, or have someone willingly hand it over.  It was a fairly involved process.  And when that image was shared  we knew what it was. It was pornography. It was identifiable. It was wrong. And there were clear laws around it.

That world is gone.

Today, anyone …and I mean anyone… with a phone or a device can grab an image from anywhere. Facebook. Instagram. TikTok. Snapchat. A school website. A church directory. Your family Christmas card that you posted publicly. It does not matter where it came from. They can take that image and mold it, manipulate it, and transform it into anything they want. Something that looks like that person. Sounds like that person. Acts like that person. Something that is completely fabricated and completely convincing.

The summer between 7th and 8th grade, Landon had been campaigning…and I mean campaigning ….for two years to get Instagram. I had held the line. A firm, unwavering, “don’t-even-try-it" no. And then summer hit, and I was... tired. Because if you have ever gone toe-to-toe with a child who could out-argue a seasoned attorney while still technically asking for something politely, you know exactly what kind of tired I mean. It's a special kind. It has its own zip code.

So I agreed. With stipulations. He was not allowed to follow or friend anyone without my approval first. We sat down together. We went over everything. I felt like a responsible, informed parent. I was encouraged.  It felt like a win of sorts.  

One hour later, Landon had followed 300 people. Three. Hundred. People. That boy barely knew THREE people much less 300.