Back to school pics on social media

[abouttogetlynched]

I have seen countless “back to school” photos on my social media today, but AIBU to be surprised (although I don’t know if I really am) by the number of people who give the names of their DC and show the school they go to?

I know I know these people, but some are ex work colleagues, ex school pals etc - people whose kids I have never met. Who else is on their social media that they don’t know that well who can see this stuff?

I’ve counted 5 today who are teachers and have posted their primary aged kids with name and school shown. Shouldn’t they know better? Like from safeguarding POV?

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

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.

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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”

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 - 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

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.

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.

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

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

But that's completely different to parents posting photos of their own kids on their own social media.

Children are at far more danger from family/close friends who can build a relationship with them and gain their trust. Random paedophile snatches are incredibly rare.

I was a Scout Leader. We never did this! It’s up to parents what they post on social media and school is nothing to do with Brownies or Scouts.

Because lots of our brownies are from the same school/year group and there are reasons they don’t want their photos on SM. It’s just a reminder that just because you know a child from a different “environment” doesn’t mean you should be putting photos up

See previous comments - there are a lot of reasons (especially when people post photos at school gates etc) why we bring this up

It's really not much of a risk though, if you're just a normal person posting to your friends and possibly wider circle. I agree if you're a politician, celeb, drug dealer or whatever, but the sheer volume of photos on FB in general makes it really really unlikely this will lead to anything. As PP have said, if peadophiles are looking for school children, they hang around outside schools.

People shouldn’t share photos of other peoples children, agreed.

I can’t see why you’d need to email parents to tell them not to post photo’s of their own child, though.

Of course posting pics of other children may be an issue and you should always ask permission but what’s the issue of my posting a picture of my own child in uniform? She’s not adopted, no DA issues etc.

Those who can’t post their own kids online won’t need reminding by a brownie leader as they’ll know, those without those issues can surly crack on?

The average child is more at risk from the unfit drivers on the road, or dangers within the home. That does not make the OPs concern any less valid.

OP exactly what do you think the risk is?

I’m probably going in too hard on the Brownie leader part because of the unit I’m involved with. But what happened before the days of SM? We had to wait to show people actual copies of photos. Why does EVERYTHING have to be on SM. My DF took a photo of me every day from I was born until I started primary school - ranging from “mildly cute baby” to “trainee sumo wrestler” to “starting primary school” - they (thankfully) remain in physical photo albums