BERLIN -- Police in western Germany have issued an urgent appeal to parents: Don't post photos of your children on social media websites like Facebook 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.

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The appeal has been shared more than 140,000 times since it was first posted Tuesday — on Facebook. Hagen police spokesman Tino Schafer said Wednesday that at the very least, parents should adjust their privacy settings to prevent strangers seeing the photos.