Mum shares list of trending hashtags to avoid using online to protect your children

A mum has shared a list of trending hashtags to avoid using on social media in order to protect your children from predators online.

The mum took to the BabyBumps thread on Reddit to 'get a conversation going about online predators' after sharing her thoughts that 'everything in our lives have become very public'.

She began by explaining: "I think it’s helpful to try to stay up to date with any information that could keep our kids safe from online predators."

Tim Robberts / Getty Images

The woman admitted: "It scares me that parents aren’t monitoring what their children are posting."

After being searching online looking for diaper brand comparison reviews, being seven months pregnant and getting her nursery ready, she was shocked to find the search bar had 'auto-populated' a load of pretty unsettling search terms.

The social media site allegedly stated: "These predictions come from possible search terms related to what you're looking for and what other people have already searched for."

She continued writing: "So, I feel like these searches are popular. I want to end this post by saying please be careful what you post because you have no idea who is watching your content.

"There are so many nefarious people behind screens that we don’t even know are watching."

The Child Rescue Coalition (CRC) reports that most parents will post 1,500 photos of their child before they turn five, warning that such posts can 'overexpose' children by showcasing private moments that they might not like to be shared with a large audience, making them 'vulnerable to pedophiles and sex offenders'.

Mark Wilkinson / Getty Images

The website defines a hashtag as: "A word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a keyword or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it.

"Whenever a user adds a hashtag to their post, it’s able to be indexed by the social network and becomes searchable/discoverable by other users."

The CRC has researched and compiled a list of over 100 hashtags that serve as a flag on social media leading predators to pictures of children.

Such predator-attracting hashtags include:

#kidsbathroom

#kidsbedroom

#childbath

#bathchild

#bathtimefun

#splishsplash

#sinkbath

#cleanbabies

#bathtime

#kidsbathtime

#kidsbathtub

#bathtubkids

#cleankids

#kidsbathing

#childbathing

#bathtimebaby

#bathtimefuntime

#toddlerbathtime

#toddlerbathtimefun

#toddlerbath

#toddlerbathhangs

#toddlerbaths

#toddlerbathing

#kidsshowertime

#kidsshower

#kidshowertime

#bikinikids

#kidsbikinis

#kidsswimwear

#babykini

#bikinikidsmodeling

#bikinikidslovers

#kidbikini

#kidbikinis

#toddlerbikini

#toddlerbikinis

#toddlerbikinisrule

#toilettraining

#pottytraining4kids

#pottytrainingguide

#pottytrain

#toilettrain

#startpottytraining

#pottytraining101

#lillootoddlerpotty

#pottytrainingsucks

#nakedkidsclub

#nakedkidsagain

#nakedkidsarehappykids

#cantkeepclothesonhim

#nakedkids

#nakedbaby

#nakedkid

#nakedkiddos

#nakedchild

#nakedchildren

#nakedtoddler

#nakedkidseverywhere

#nakedtoddleralert

#toddlerbaths

#toddlerbathfun

#pottytraining

#potty

#pottytrained

#pottytime

#pottytrainedbefore2

#lovesbeingnude

#skinnybabybooty

#pottydance

#pottydancetime

#pottydanceparty

#pottytrain

#pottytrainingtime

#pottyparty

#pottytrainingfail

#pottytrainingtwins

#nappyfree

#diaperfree

#pottytrainingsuccess

#pottytrainingwoes

#pottytrainingdays

#pottytrainingbootcamp

#pottytrainingboys

#pottylife

#pottytrainingdiaries

#pottytrainingfun

#nudekids

#pottytrainingtime

#pottyparty

#pottytrainingfail

#pottytrainingtwins

#nappyfree

#diaperfree

#sexykids

#sexychildren

#nudechild

#peeingkid

#babypeeing

#sinkchild

#naptime

"The reality is that parents probably won’t go back one day and search for a picture using the hashtag they associated with their child’s first steps, first day of school or potty training," the CRC continues.

However, the nonprofit organisation warns, predators do use this search function and therefore parents should avoid such hashtags altogether.

Topics: Crime, Parenting, Social media, UK News

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.