Parental Tips

Pause Before You Post: 4 Tips for Safe Back-to-School Photos

Chalkboards and letter boards displaying children’s names, schools, and other identifying information overtake social media every year when kids go back-to-school. While these posts are well intended and make great keepsakes, posting them online has potential dangers than many parents don’t realize. Online predators can look for clues to try to groom children, and find out what they like and their physical location.

So how can you take and post those adorable back-to-school photos safely?

Four Tips to Take Safe Back to School Photos

  1. Don’t share your child’s SCHOOL name. All schools now have websites that include addresses, all it would take is a simple Google search to locate your child’s school. And if you DO share, just make sure your settings are turned to private to ensure only friends and family can see this personal information.
  2. Don’t share their TEACHER’S name. Staff and employees are included in most school directories making your child easy to find. Try not to post too many details about where your children go to school publicly.
  3. Don’t share their FAVORITE’S. If your child is contacted online, the predator can use their “favorites” to gain their trust or pretend to be friends of the family. One of our investigators breaks down how predators groom children here.
  4. Make sure to hide LOGOS of the school or location. These can be easily blurred on today’s smart phones. Always check your background to make sure you aren’t accidentally snapping location identifiers, logos, or other children who may not be consented to be posted online.

We always encourage parents to pause before you post, and make sure this is a photo your child wants, and YOU want on the internet. And please be aware of predator attracting hasthags if you do choose to post those chalkboard photos! Last but certainly not least, if you do take selfie’s with your kids, follow these safety tips.

As kids head back to school, it’s also time for parents to CRAM and doownload our FREE eBook in partnership with the Safe Surfin’ Foundation to learn as much as they can about online safety. Knowledge is the greatest gift of protection we can give our children.

C.R.A.M.: A Parent’s Study Guide to Managing Kids & Technology is available for free by registering here.

Pause before you post and learn how to take safe back-to-school photos that won't attract internet predators

Download our FREE eBook today and learn everything you need to know about  managing kids and technology!