The other day I was poking around the backend of my YouTube account and stumbled onto something I hadn’t thought about in years. There were personal videos of my kids I’d uploaded over a decade ago. Nothing embarrassing, nothing scandalous. But I sat there thinking: why is the whole internet still able to see these?
YouTube was a different place when those went up. Every parent with a new smartphone was uploading every cute thing their kid did. But those kids are teenagers now. They have opinions about this stuff. Mine definitely does.
My youngest mentioned that his friends had found some baby videos. He wasn’t upset, exactly. But I could tell he wasn’t thrilled either.
That was enough for me to start going through things.
TL;DR: Your old social media posts about your kids deserve a second look. Kids grow up, privacy matters more than it used to, and most platforms make it easy to archive or hide old content without deleting it permanently. Start with a Google search of your own name, then work through each platform systematically.
Why it’s worth doing now
The content you posted five or ten years ago didn’t come with the same considerations we have now. Names, birthdays, school names, locations, random Tuesday afternoon photos. It adds up.
Older teens especially don’t love having their childhood documented publicly. That’s not paranoia, it’s just a reasonable preference. And honestly, they’re usually better at managing their own digital footprint than we are. My kids post almost nothing publicly. Meanwhile, I’ve had a parenting blog since they were small.
There’s also the practical side. Details like full names and birthdates can be useful to people with bad intentions. It’s not common, but it’s not zero either.
The good news: you don’t have to delete everything. Archiving is a real option on most platforms, and it lets you keep the memories without broadcasting them.
How to actually do it
1. Start with a Google search
Search your own name and any usernames you’ve used. See what’s publicly visible. Make a list of every platform you’ve posted on. This is your starting point.
2. Go through your posts
Look specifically for anything that includes your child’s full name, school, location, or birthday. Look for anything that would embarrass a 15-year-old. When in doubt, show your kid and let them give you a thumbs up or down. They’ll tell you.
3. Use the platform tools
Most platforms make this easier than you’d expect.
Facebook: Use the Activity Log to review and bulk-archive old posts.
Instagram: Archive posts so they’re hidden from everyone but you.
YouTube: Set old videos to private or unlisted.
X (Twitter): Tools like TweetDelete let you bulk-remove old tweets.
4. Update your privacy settings
While you’re in there, tighten things up. Most platforms default to more public than you probably want. Change who can see your posts going forward and lock down older content.
5. Check third-party app access
Go through which apps are connected to your accounts and revoke anything you don’t actively use. It takes five minutes, and you’ll probably find a dozen things you forgot about.
6. Clean up tags
Untag yourself from photos you don’t want associated with you. Review your followers list if it’s been a while.
7. Make it a habit
Do a quick review once a year. Platforms change their settings, your kids get older, and what felt fine to post three years ago might not anymore.
A few things worth knowing
You don’t have to delete everything. Archiving keeps the content visible to you but hides it from everyone else. Facebook and Instagram both have this option. Keep the memories, just not the public broadcast.
Involve your kids. Once they’re old enough, they should have a say in what stays up. It’s a good conversation to have, and it teaches them something about managing their own digital presence.
Think about future posts, too. The standard I try to apply: would my kid be fine with this appearing in a Google search ten years from now? That filters out a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find old posts I’ve forgotten about?
Start with a Google search of your name and username. Then use each platform’s search or activity log to dig further back.
Is it better to delete or archive?
Archive if the platform allows it. You keep access to the memory, but it’s no longer public. Delete if the content is genuinely problematic or if you just want it gone.
Do I need to do this on every platform?
Focus on the ones where you were most active and where your content is most visible. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are usually the main ones for parents who’ve been online for a while.
What if my kid is already upset about something I posted?
Take it down. Don’t argue about it. You can always have a conversation about it after, but the first move is just to remove it.
How long does this take?
Depends how long you’ve been active. A quick review of privacy settings takes 20 minutes. A full audit of years of posts could take a few hours spread over a few sessions. The first pass is the hardest.
Don’t worry, all bets are off when it comes to the wedding photo reel. Boys, you’ve been warned.
If this got you thinking about the bigger picture of kids and privacy online, I’ve also written about how to talk to your teen about stopping photos, whether to track your teen’s location, and how to help your kid clean up their own social media footprint. There’s more on navigating the teenage years over at the parenting hub.
