In its new campaign, Children of the Street takes an understated approach to point out a disturbing irony: That the content that parents and loved ones innocently share of children online is often sought after for harmful purposes by online predators.

With a pair of video vignettes, the youth-safety organization highlights how those who care most about a child are often the ones unintentionally putting them at risk. Most parents have no idea that sharing a simple picture or video can lead to sextortion, bullying or identity theft, the organization says.

But while innocent posts may lead to life-altering outcomes, Children of the Streets avoids taking an alarmist approach with the “Think Before You Share” campaign.

The videos follow Pop Pop, the “Best Grandpa Ever” who posts freely about his grandkids in an unfamiliar online world of likes and friend requests, and Sheila, a proud mother who can’t wait to share the adorable accomplishments of her children.

Lisa Lebedovich, ECD of creative agency Will, tells strategy it’s easy for this type of campaign to default to scare tactics.

“We wanted to take a different approach to allow our target audience to better see themselves and their behaviours reflected in these kind, loving, relatable characters, without villainizing them,” Lebedovich says. “We also wanted to avoid using images of young kids, to prevent the type of exposure the campaign warns against. By putting ourselves in this creative box upfront, we were able to imagine something that draws our audience in and then twists the narrative in a way they don’t expect to allow the message to stick.”

Children of the Street manager Neely Yuda tells strategy that “Think Before Your Share” marks the first time the organization has focused on how extended family can effect a child’s safety. She says, in an age of AI image generators and deepfakes, “all it takes is one innocent photo or video to change a child’s life forever.”

Yuda says data shows that more than 75% of parents share content about their kids online and a news release from the organization says parents, on average, share 1,500 photos of a child online before they’re five years old.

“(Loved ones) often share these materials with friends and followers that they don’t know, without realizing the risks,” Yuda says. “This campaign aims to highlight this, provides tips on how they can keep their kids safe, and offers advice on what to do if a child’s image is used in this way.”

Children of the Street is a PLEA Community Services Society of BC program that works to prevent the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children through education, public awareness and family support.

“Think Before You Share,” launched on March 6, will run for eight weeks in Greater Vancouver and include placements on Instagram and Facebook and OOH executions. It created in partnership with Will and Wirtz Media, which handled media strategy and buying.