09/03/2026
Okay yāall, Iāve been seeing a LOT of photographers copy and pasting their statements about no longer posting their clientsā children because of the recent ruling surrounding AI generated CSAM.
And listenā¦ I understand the fear. I understand wanting to protect children. Iām a parent too, and protecting kids should ALWAYS be the priority.
But Iām going to give yāall a little different perspective from this āsmall town photographerā over here.
Iām currently not planning to stop posting my clientsā familiesā¦ as long as I have their parentsā permission.
That doesnāt mean I donāt care about my clients as many of these post from photographers are implying. It doesnāt mean I donāt care about their privacy. And it definitely doesnāt mean Iām unaware of the dangers that exist online.
I just donāt think photographers who have permission from a childās parent should suddenly be treated like weāre part of the problem.
Honestly, Iāve never posted a family who wasnāt already comfortable putting their family online. And Iāve adjusted plenty of contracts to not include a model release for those families who donāt post their families. Iām not sneaking pictures of anybodyās babies onto Facebook. Their parents know. They see the images. They give me permission.
And hereās something else Iāve been thinking aboutā¦
A LOT of the photographers saying they wonāt post children anymore are still using AI in their businesses.
AI is built into so many of the programs we use now. Photoshop has AI. Editing programs have AI. There are AI tools being used for calls, marketing, editing, culling, and all kinds of things.
I havenāt even updated my Photoshop since 2023. And honestly?! Iāve intentionally left it that way because I donāt WANT to see how much easier AI can make it to manipulate the images I create. I also donāt like adding my clients photos into ai programs bc many moms like me donāt use programs like chat gpt with their kids faces.
Meanwhile, our kids are living in a world full of cameras.
They go to Walmart.
They go to restaurants.
They go to sporting events.
They go to school.
They walk through parking lots.
There are cameras everywhere.
We hand huge companies access to our photos (think google āallow access to all photosā)
Many post our kids on social media. People are uploading pictures of their families into AI programs.
So I guess what Iām saying isā¦
I donāt think the answer is to shame or villainize photographers who make a different decision with informed parental consent.
Maybe our bigger call to action should be aimed at the people who actually make the laws.
Our lawmakers have the ability to create laws that protect children from exploitation and emerging technologies. We should be holding them accountable when those laws fail to keep up.
āProtect children.
āDemand better laws.
āHold lawmakers accountable.
āBe informed about the technology we are willingly giving access to our families.
But letās make sure weāre villainizing the right people.
Elect people who will protect children.
Hold them accountable when they donāt.
Pay attention to what laws are being passed. GET POLITICAL!
It helps no one āstaying neutralā
Learn what technology weāre giving access to our families.
And please, protect your babies however you feel is right for YOUR family. If you donāt want your childās picture online, I will absolutely respect that. ā¤ļø
I refuse to believe that photographers are the villains for doing what weāve been doing for generationsā¦capturing families, sharing our work, and celebrating childhood.
Just a different perspective from your neighborhood photographer. ā¤ļøšø
And yāall know Iām always going to speak my mind!
Photo of me and my family taken by the wonderful Tiffany Robbins Photography
