Back to school pics on social media

Nothing is ever private on SM, no matter how hard you try. All it takes is one person to save the photo, and send it to their friends “oh, isn’t such and such-es child so cute?!” Someone else saves it and sends it to someone else saying “XYZ’s child is just starting school, aren’t they so smart in their uniforms?!” The ways things reach people is endless. I’ve never met DH’s sister (she lives abroad), not friends with her on FB, but through friends of friends, could now give you exact GPS co-ordinates of where her kids go to school

Yeah this sort of self-aggrandising lecturing is so tedious. We'll post pics of our kids if we want because most of us think this is silly scaremongering

What has that got to do with brownies though?

People should not be sharing pictures of other's people's children of course, but their own child is their own business.

I don't think there are actually safeguarding rules about this.

You mean as opposed to them making their kids and uniforms completely invisible on the public streets?

Granted, some people have good reason to be cautious, but I'd suggest not posting on social media at all in those circumstances. Otherwise it's needless hysteria.

I’m a Brownie leader - we have a closed WhatsApp group for parents, that photos of the girls doing activities are posted on. The rule to join is that “you won’t ever save these photos and post them elsewhere” - it is EXACTLY because nothing is ever private on SM, so if you’re escaping DV, you’ve an adopted child, the risk is too high

Sure, but it's a lot easier to strike up an online chat with a child you have researched, make friends, blackmaol for photos or pretend your a child just sending wachother silly pictures of bums.

Yes, kds aren't stupid they know if a stranger is trying to contact them but it's often an adult of a child they do know who will try and groom them.

I’m a Brownie leader. EVERY year without fail I have to send an email out to parents reminding them of the safeguarding rules of “please don’t post pictures of your children in their school uniform with the badge fully visible in front of your front door with house number fully visible”

I don’t see why it matters unless someone is looking for a specific child i.e. an adopted child maybe.

i was at school long before sm and everyone knew who went to which school.

Sure, but it's a lot easier to strike up an online chat with a child you have researched, make friends, blackmaol for photos or pretend your a child just sending wachother silly pictures of bums.

I know that sounds paranoid but it does happen. Sexual crimes against children online have risen 400% since 2013 and there has been a 60% increase in self-generated child sexual abuse images.

Yes, you can do things like not let them have an ipad alone, but unless you'll always monitor them or actively delete content, the images are there forever and form a picture of the child as they get older and have more independence. Its not just about the risk in the now at e.g. 5 years old.

And for all the ‘my instagram’s private, I don’t have anyone on there I don’t know in person’ - naive to think that that makes your account impenetrable to criminals who want to gain access

I think it’s fine to do that. The issue is with people who chronicle their children’s lives and sometimes thoughts and feelings.

There are pictures of kids popping up right now as I type this on MN in the ads.

For holidays, for clothes, for toys.

And what?

An image of them where they’re not wearing their school uniform? The OP wasn’t criticising people putting photos of their child on social media at all, she was criticising them putting up photos of them with their school logo on display, so that’s what the discussion is focussing on.

I think posting any photos of kids online without their explicit consent (which they’re too young to give with any degree of genuine understanding) is moronic on so many levels.

Agree with @SaladAndChipsForTea, if that’s not enough to put anyone off, God knows what is.

Also, this has been a story over the past few days: https://www.bbc.com/news/education-44153754.amp

Is there anything that posters on this forum dont consider a Safeguarding Concern (with capital letters)?

There is no 'safeguarding concern' about that

Apart from the unending boredom and tediousness of people oversharing their every move and activity.

Most child abuse is within families or someone the child knows. So posting a photo won’t have any effect.

With what image? Genuinely curious.

There is a photo of my eldest DD on the home page of her primary school website! Been there for 6 years now.

It’s not really about whether the school logo is showing, it’s about the fact that these kids aren’t mature enough to consent. They have an online presence they haven’t chosen.

and as already pointed out, images are used to create child abuse images.

This.

They can create disgusting online material, including deep fake porn.

They can do that without knowing the child's name or what school they go to.

1. They can take a fancy to a child and know where they go to school.

1. They can create disgusting online material, including deep fake porn.

It’s crazy. Do people really not understand what sort of people are out there? A friend posted her toddler twins in the bath on her public instagram. An intelligent woman who ought to know better.

I have never posted photos of my children online, and never will.

I'm surprised in this day and age kids have to wear uniform at all.

Primary often also encourage things like named book bags.

All while posting social media pics of kids and running online safety education for parents 🙄

I never get the weird fear people have over this. Most schools (unless you tell them not to) post pictures of children on their websites

And what if a paedophile does see them? What special power will it give him?

I do think it is almost like an old fashioned superstition of the bogeyman who can catch a child once he sees a picture on line.

What is the rational concern here?