Before You Post That Photo, Ask This Question

Trust and community go hand in hand, but so do trust and restraint. In this episode of SipCyber, Jen Lotze visits House of Js Coffee in Arvada, CO, fresh off a weekend with her chosen family at Red Rocks Amphitheater, to talk about a privacy question most of us never stop to ask: what happens when we post pictures of other people's kids online? 

It starts with celebrities and their children caught in candid public moments, then turns into something everyone does at birthday parties, concerts, and family gatherings. A photo feels harmless in the moment. But once it's online, the people in it lose control over where it goes and who keeps it. 

Key Topics Covered: 

• Why fame belongs to the adult in the photo, not the child standing next to them 
• How a single photo reveals location, relationships, and routines 
• The one question to ask before posting someone else's child • Why "most people have good intentions" isn't the same as "everyone does" 
• How community and privacy both come down to the same thing: respect 

This isn't about locking down every photo you take. It's about pausing long enough to ask whether a moment was really yours to share. 

☕ Featured Coffee Shop: House of Js Coffee, Arvada, CO 

Some memories are just as special when they stay with the people who lived them. Subscribe for weekly cybersecurity tips delivered from coffee shops across the country, and share this with a parent, friend, or fellow fan who posts without thinking twice. 

#Cybersecurity #DigitalPrivacy #SocialMediaSafety #KidsOnlineSafety #OnlinePrivacy #InfoSec #DigitalFootprint #OverSharing #PrivacyMatters #SipCyber 

Transcript

Jen Lotze 0:04

Hey there, coffee lovers and internet explorers. Welcome back to Sip Cyber, the podcast where we're always searching for two things: the perfect cup of coffee and the simplest way to keep your digital life safe. Some weekends remind you that family isn't always the one you're born into. Sometimes it's the people who keep showing up, the people who laugh with you, sit beside you, celebrate with you, and somehow make a place feel even more special. I know I talked about it the last few weeks, but I'm going to talk about it again. This weekend was one of those moments for me. I spent my time at Red Rocks Amphitheater with my chosen family. Every time I go there, I'm reminded that it's more than just a concert venue. Those towering red sandstone formations have been standing for millions of years and they make you feel small in the best way possible. They remind you that some things last because they weather time together. After a weekend like that, I found myself at House of Jays Coffee in Arvada, Colorado. Before I even thought about ordering my coffee, I noticed all the green. Plants filled the space, green accents were everywhere. Then I started wandering around a little bit while I waited for my order. Shelves held books written by local authors, there were snacks from local businesses and handmade products from people in the community. It felt like a place that believed small things matter, supporting your neighbors, sharing their work, helping each other succeed. That sense of community stayed with me. After a weekend spent with people I consider family, it reminded me that the best communities are built on respect. And that made me think about something we really need to talk about. Posting other people's kids on the internet. We usually think about this as a parenting conversation, but there's another side we don't talk about often enough. Fans sharing pictures of famous people's children. Maybe someone spots an athlete having lunch with their family. Maybe an actor is at the zoo with their kids. Maybe a musician is enjoying a quiet afternoon with their children. Maybe one of the Avett brothers walks in with their family. Someone snaps a picture, snaps a video. It gets posted online. Then it's shared again and again and again. And before long, children who were never in that space to choose a public life have become a part of the internet forever. The fame belongs to the adult. It shouldn't automatically belong to their children. The same idea applies to the rest of us. Maybe you're at a birthday party, a neighborhood picnic, a concert, a family gathering, or spending the weekend with your chosen family like I was at Red Rocks. It's easy to capture a happy moment and want to share it. But not every moment belongs on social media. Every photo tells a story. Who's there? Where they are, who they're connected to. On its own, that information may seem harmless, but once something is online, we lose control over where it goes and who saves it. Most people scrolling through social media have good intentions. Unfortunately, not everyone does. And that brings me to one small step that helps. Before you post that picture or that video that includes someone else's child, ask yourself one simple question. Is this really my moment to share? If you can't, maybe keep that memory for yourself or share it privately with the people who are there. Respecting someone's privacy is one of the simplest ways we can show we care. House of J's reminded me that communities grow stronger when people lift each other up. Sometimes that means buying a local author's book. Sometimes it means supporting a neighborhood business. And sometimes it means protecting someone else's child by not choosing to post a picture or video that was never yours to share anyway. Not every meaningful moment needs an audience. Some memories are every bit as special when they stay with the people who live them. Thank you for joining me today on my trip to House of Jay's Coffee in Narvada and for taking a small step to secure digital life. Until then, stay safe, stay human, and keep sipping.