German police warn parents about Facebook photos

BERLIN (AP) — Police in western Germany have issued an urgent appeal to parents: don't post photos of your children on social media websites for all to see.

The appeal by Hagen police suggests to parents that "maybe you think these photos are cute now, but your child will find them endlessly embarrassing in a couple of years."

It warns that such photos may be used by bullies or pedophiles and notes that children are entitled to privacy.

A spokesman for Hagen police says the appeal has been shared more than 100,000 times and viewed by more 7 seven million people since it was first posted Tuesday — on Facebook.

Spokesman Tino Schafer said Wednesday that at the very least, parents should adjust their privacy settings to prevent strangers seeing the photos.