Ministry Cautions Parents Against Exploiting Children's Images for Social Media Profit

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has issued a stern warning to parents and guardians, urging them to think carefully before sharing photographs and videos of children on social media platforms for the purpose of earning money through monetisation schemes.

Growing Concern Over Child Content on Social Media

The Ministry raised the alarm amid a growing trend of parents and caregivers using images and footage of their children to generate revenue through Facebook's monetisation features. Officials stressed that such practices pose serious risks to the privacy, dignity, and long-term wellbeing of minors who are unable to provide informed consent.

Authorities highlighted that once content is uploaded to social media, parents lose control over how it is shared, repurposed, or accessed by unknown third parties — a reality that can expose children to potential harm, including exploitation and online predatory behaviour.

Children's Rights Cannot Be Compromised for Financial Gain

The Ministry made clear that a child's right to privacy and protection must never be sacrificed in pursuit of social media fame or financial benefit. Officials emphasised that children featured in such content are often too young to understand or agree to having their lives broadcasted to potentially millions of online viewers.

Parents and guardians have a fundamental responsibility to safeguard the dignity and safety of children in their care, both in the physical world and in online spaces.

The warning also extended to content that, while seemingly innocent, may be misused by bad actors operating across digital platforms.

A Call for Responsible Digital Parenting

The Ministry called on all parents, guardians, and caregivers across Sri Lanka to adopt responsible digital habits and to treat the online safety of children with the same seriousness as their physical safety. Authorities encouraged adults to reflect on the potential long-term consequences of sharing a child's image with a public audience before posting any such content.

Child protection advocates have long warned that the commercialisation of children's lives on social media platforms can cause psychological harm, including a loss of identity and autonomy as they grow older.

The Ministry has indicated that it will continue to monitor developments in this area and may pursue further measures, including public awareness campaigns, to address the issue at a national level.