A court in Denmark has handed down a suspended prison sentence to a grandmother who shared intimate photos of her daughter's labour and the birth of her grandson on Facebook, sparking a major family dispute and a legal battle.
From Delivery Room to Facebook Feed
The incident began years ago when the 50-year-old grandmother was present in the delivery suite. She took it upon herself to film and photograph the birth process. In November, several years after the child was born and already in first grade, the grandmother posted four of these highly personal images on her Facebook profile. The photos showed the mother's abdomen during the actual moment of birth and the newborn baby immediately afterwards. The post was captioned 'My first grandchild'.
The mother was completely unaware that these images existed in digital form, let alone that they would be shared publicly. She had never consented to the photos being taken or posted. Stunned by the discovery, she immediately demanded that her mother remove the photos from social media.
A Family Feud Turns Legal
Initially, the grandmother complied with the request and took the photos down. However, the situation escalated dramatically when the daughter informed her mother that she intended to press charges for the privacy violation. Upon learning that her actions could lead to criminal proceedings, the grandmother defiantly reposted the same set of intimate birth photos on Facebook a second time.
This act left the daughter with no choice but to follow through with her threat. She filed a formal complaint with the police, accusing her mother of a serious breach of her privacy. The case was brought before the Odense District Court on the island of Funen. Notably, the grandmother chose not to attend the court hearing.
The Court's Verdict and Consequences
The court found the grandmother guilty of violating her daughter's privacy. She was sentenced to 14 days in prison, but the sentence was suspended. This means she will not serve any jail time unless she commits a similar offence in the future.
In addition to the suspended sentence, the court ordered the grandmother to pay her daughter damages for the emotional distress caused. She must pay 10,000 Danish kroner, which is approximately £1,150 or €1,200. This case serves as a stark warning about the legal and personal consequences of sharing someone's private moments online without their explicit permission, even within families.
