[madchadramrod]

Quick question. After a really bad, lengthy and messy divorce between myself and my ex wife I am wondering if I as a parent have the right to post family pics of myself and my daughter online. Now this isn't some sick thing, this is just that I want to share pics with my friends and family of myself and my daughter. Well I have sole physical custody and share joint legal custody. Does my ex wife have the right to tell me that I cannot post pics? Does she have the legal right to tell me I can't? If anyone could help me out with legal links or anything let me know. Thanks in advance.

By the way I live in MN.

[ScottGem]

There is nothing wrong with this. There are several sites, like Snapfish.com, where you can create photo albums and restrict access to them to people you invite to view them.

[LifePaparazzi]

Quick question. After a really bad, lengthy and messy divorce between myself and my ex wife I am wondering if I as a parent have the right to post family pics of myself and my daughter online. Now this isn't some sick thing, this is just that I want to share pics with my friends and family of myself and my daughter. Well I have sole physical custody and share joint legal custody. Does my ex wife have the right to tell me that I cannot post pics? Does she have the legal right to tell me I can't? If anyone could help me out with legal links or anything let me know. Thanks in advance.

btw I live in MN.

As I am a photographer, we went through this with my husband ex. Wife too. Since you have joint custody, you most certainly have the right to post (appropriate, as you said) photos of your daughter online.

However, please note that it is vital to protect your child's identity, due to internet predators. Be careful about adding locations at which your child may be, for example sporting events, at which a predator might attempt to make contact with your daughter. Usually a first name (make sure your last name is not obviously found) and a comment like, at the park, enjoying softball, at the zoo, in California etc. are best. (I know you probably know this, but it bears repeating.)

A superb FREE site to post on is Webshots - Photo Sharing, Free Wallpaper and Free Screensavers On this site you can post albums and set them to private, password proteced. Then simply let your friends and family know the password to view the images.

Hope this helps.

[cjonline]

As long as it isn't going against a court order of some kind and they are "harmless" or "family" pictures then I say post away. If you have talked about it in court and it was ordered that you can't post them, then don't -- if you do you will get in a lot of trouble.

I have a family website and I post things all the time about my boys and other family members. I have everything protected and you have to have my permission and a password to get to the pics and videos, but it's a wonderful way to share things with family that's all over the world. I know when my brother was fighting in Iraq he really missed my boys and he told me that it helped him still feel like he was here with the family.

[madchadramrod]

Thanks everyone for your help. The reason I ask, is I had a photo of myself and my daughter on my private myspace. Set only to my friends and family and she threatened to take me to court if I didn't take it down. It doesn't say anything in our court paper work about this subject. She seems to think that that falls under "legal custody". Does she have legal rights to do that even though it isn't mentioned in our court paper work?

[ScottGem]

She has the right to take you to court. But I can't see a judge ruling in her favor on this. In my opinion, the only grounds she would have is if it was a public posting and she claimed it showed you unfitness as a parent because it put your child in jepoardy. But that would really be a stretch and I doubt if a judge would go along even if it was a public posting.

[madchadramrod]

That helped a lot. Thanks for the responses everyone.

[ScottGem]

I moved this to Family Law for you. Please don't corss post the same question in different forums. If you would like a question moved, used the Report Inappropriate post link and ask it be moved.

[JudyKayTee]

[QUOTE=LifePaparazzi]However, please note that it is vital to protect your child's identity, due to internet predators. Be careful about adding locations at which your child may be, for example sporting events, at which a predator might attempt to make contact with your daughter. Usually a first name (make sure your last name is not obviously found) and a comment like, at the park, enjoying softball, at the zoo, in California etc. are best. (I know you probably know this, but it bears repeating.)


I would use an additional word of caution here - do NOT post your child's first name if there is any way to locate the child UNLESS it is a locked site. The friends who are looking at the photo already know the child's name (presumably); the rest of the World shouldn't know the child's name.

A friend of mine's daughter was on an award-winning soccer team, paper published the photo of the team, first names were listed (no last names), some pervert found out where they practiced and went to the field, approached the girl using her name. She had been coached and knew to go to an adult - which she did - and the guy took off but it was a frightening experience and she said when he said her name she thought maybe she DID know him but had been taught to be sure before she responded.

If my husband posted my child's name and photo and the site were open to anyone I would be in Court immediately, questioning his judgment.

[LifePaparazzi]

Thanks everyone for your help. The reason I ask, is I had a photo of myself and my daughter on my private myspace. Set only to my friends and family and she threatened to take me to court if I didn't take it down. It doesn't say anything in our court paper work about this subject. She seems to think that that falls under "legal custody". Does she have legal rights to do that even though it isn't mentioned in our court paper work?

If it will ease you mind, I'll mention this too. My husband's ex. Brought this issue up during a court appearance (not related to this matter). The judge told her "He's the father and he's proud of his children, just as you are. So you need to stop being petty" His ex. Was upset by this and tried to argue with the judge (which shows you how dumb this woman really is) The judge (a female) told her " Mrs. XXXX, grow up, more on". LOL Mind you, as a photographer I often use the children as models, and is not set to private.

So, if you have it on you "locked" myspace web page... I seriously doubt a judge would find anything wrong with that.;)