How to protect your children's back-to-school photos

Five ways to keep your children’s images safe

Things to consider before taking or posting images or video.

1) Check and use your social media settings

Before you do anything, get savvy about social media settings, especially your privacy options.

They can make all the difference to whether your child’s images are protected, or not. Each social media platform has different settings you can adjust.

The first thing to be aware of is the status of your account. Generally, if your account is private, then only your followers can see any images you post. However, they could still choose to reshare that image with others.

If your account is public, then images can be seen by a much wider audience then just your followers.

Beyond this, it’s worth taking a deeper dive into your privacy settings. In Facebook, for example, you can choose which audience sees which post and change who can add you as a friend.

Some things you share on social channels will always be public, regardless of your settings – this can include profile photos.

It’s also a good idea to regularly check through your friends and followers and remove anyone you don’t recognise or aren’t comfortable with. You should also be able to restrict what some of your followers can see.

The National Cyber Security Centre has a useful page on how to use social media. Our own page on social media has helpful advice as well.

2) Don’t post information that identifies the school

It’s a good idea to ensure there’s nothing in the photograph, video or post that identifies the school your children attend. That means:

• ensuring school logos or school signs are not visible (take the photo carefully or blur identifying words logos if you have the software skills – some apps allow you to add an emoji over any identifying features)
• nothing in the text (including hashtags) that gives away school name or location.

3) Be aware of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to misuse images

As AI tools become more advanced, it’s important to understand how they can be used to manipulate images - including those of children.

Photos shared online can be altered using AI to create false or misleading content. In some cases, this technology has been used to generate harmful material, including child sexual abuse content.

AI-generated content can also be used in attempts to blackmail children, families or even schools. If you or your child ever receive a blackmail threat, it’s vital not to engage. Instead, report it immediately. You can find advice and support on the Childline website.

By staying informed and cautious, you can help protect your children and their images from being misused.

4) Make sure your children are happy with what you’re doing

Images of your children that you post online now can affect their wellbeing now and well into the future. It’s worth checking with your child that they're happy both with the image and with what you’re planning to do with it.

This is a great way to role model good behaviours for sharing images of others online.

5) Check with parents or carers before photographing other children

You might want to take a group photo or video of your child and their friends as they go back to school. But it’s important first to consider the privacy of other children and their parents’ wishes. Check with the parents or carers first before you take a photo. Ask as well if they’re ok with you posting it online, if that's your plan.

Other parents may not want photos of their children to be taken and/or shared for personal and important reasons.