How do I coach asking before posting photos of friends? 

Parenting Perspective 

In today’s world, children are able to share moments instantly, whether it is a funny picture, a selfie taken at school, or a group snapshot from an event. However, what may feel like a casual act to one child might feel quite exposing to another. Helping your child to learn to ask for permission before they post a picture of another person can help them to develop their empathy, their sense of responsibility, and their respect for the privacy of others. These are all timeless values in a very modern setting. 

Teaching Digital Respect as a Form of Real-Life Manners 

You can start by explaining to your child that anything that is shared online has the potential to be permanent. You could say, ‘Once you have posted a photograph online, you can no longer control where it goes or who is able to see it. That is why it is both polite and kind to ask for the other person’s permission first.’ This can help to shift their mindset from ‘my photo’ to ‘our shared moment’. It helps them to see that our sense of courtesy does not end at the screen; it travels through it. 

Coaching Them in Simple and Kind Ways to Ask for Permission 

You can teach your child that asking for permission does not have to be an awkward experience. They can learn to keep their request friendly and natural. 

• ‘Hey, I have got a really nice picture of us. Is it okay if I post it?’ 

• ‘Do you want me to tag you in this picture, or should I leave it private?’ 

• ‘I will only share this one if everyone in the picture is okay with it.’ 

You can explain to them that asking for permission is not just about following a rule; it is about protecting a sense of trust between friends. When they are able to check with their friends first, they are showing them that they value their comfort more than their own convenience. 

Discussing Why a Sense of Privacy Matters 

It is helpful to guide your child to think about how other people might feel in these situations. You could say, ‘Some people do not like to have their photographs posted online, or their parents may prefer for them to remain private. Everyone will have their own reasons, and it is a kind thing to respect them, even if you do not understand them.’ You can also talk to them about the kinds of situations where a photograph could potentially embarrass someone, such as one that includes an awkward pose or an unflattering angle. You can then ask them, ‘How would you feel if that photograph of you was shared with other people?’ Encouraging this sense of empathy can make the principle feel more meaningful to them, not just mechanical. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches believers to honour the dignity and the privacy of other people in all of their forms, in our words, in our images, and in our actions. The act of taking or of sharing another person’s image without their clear consent is a breach of the ethics of adab (respectful conduct) and of amanah (trust). By teaching your child to ask for permission before they post, you are guiding them toward a digital expression of these beautiful prophetic manners. 

The Quranic Teaching on Permission and Respect 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Noor (24), Verse 27: 

‘O those of you who are believers, do not enter houses (of other people) except your own homes; unless you have permission from them, (and when you do) say Salaams upon the inhabitants; this is better for you (so that you can respect each other’s privacy) in (the application of) your thinking.’ 

Although this verse refers specifically to the act of entering a person’s physical home, its underlying principle can be beautifully applied to the digital world. Every person’s image, just like their home, deserves our respect and our consideration before it is exposed to others. When your child is able to ask for permission before they post a picture, they are practising this same form of courtesy. 

The Prophetic Teaching on Avoiding Any Form of Harm 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2340, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.’ 

This hadith forms the basis of much of our Islamic ethics, that we should do no harm to others, either directly or indirectly. Posting a photograph of another person without their consent may seem like a small thing, but if it embarrasses, exposes, or causes any discomfort to them, it can become a form of harm. 

Guiding your child to ask for permission before they post a photograph of another person is about more than just their digital manners; it is a way of nurturing their sense of humility and of empathy. They are learning that our sense of respect does not have to end at the edge of a screen, and that every click we make can carry a real moral weight. 

Your gentle coaching can help them to understand that a good friendship online means the same as a good friendship offline: honouring the feelings and the choices of the other person. Over time, they will be able to realise for themselves that the small act of asking for permission is what can transform the act of sharing into one of genuine caring. 

When they are able to type the words, ‘Is it okay if I post this?’, before they share a picture, they will be living a quiet but powerful reflection of their Islamic character, of being mindful, considerate, and beautifully aware that a person’s dignity, once it has been protected, can become a light that strengthens every bond.