How to Share Back To School Photos Safely Online

I’m excited to share a guest post with you today from Isil at Social Thyme. Isil is a Surrey-based mum and freelance social media manager who helps businesses plan and execute their social media marketing strategies. I asked Isil whether she would write this guest post, as so many back to school photographs are shared online at the start of September each year. I’m sure it’s really important to the parents sharing them to know that they’re doing it safely. I found Isil’s guide really useful and I hope you do too. Over to Isil…

It is nearly back to school time! An exciting time for the whole family especially if your little one is just starting  school. On the first day of school, my Facebook and Instagram feeds are often filled with lots of smiley faces with their uniforms, posing at school or in front of their house.

As a social media manager, I notice that people unwittingly give away too much information about  where they live and which school their child attends. From an online safety perspective, the more personal details you share on social media, the more vulnerable you and your child will become.

Being mindful about the photos we take and how and where we share them minimizes the risk. Here are five tips to consider:

1. Check your location settings

First things first. Check your location settings. When uploading photos and videos check your privacy settings on the social media services you use as well as on the device. You can change the privacy settings to control who sees your photos.

Follow these links to learn how to change the privacy settings on your photos for different platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

2. Check the background of the photograph

Be mindful about the place you are taking the picture. For example if you’re taking a photo at the school gate, people can see which school your child attends. If there’s a landmark in the background, again you are giving away information about your location. Make sure your house number is not displayed if you are taking a photo in front of your house.

3. Check for names on display

Be mindful about displaying your child’s name if they have a name tag on their bags or if they have a uniform with school logo.

4. Ask other parents for consent

If you are taking your child’s photo at school with a group of their friends, make sure you ask for consent from other parents, before sharing these on social media platforms.

5. Consider your captions

When sharing the photos online, make sure these can only be viewed by your friends. You might also want to consider what information you are giving out with the captions. When we say “Little Sam, 4 years old, starting at XYZ Primary today!”, we are giving away too much information!

As parents, it is difficult to keep on top of the ever evolving social media platforms, but these basic tips will help your family stay safe online. Today’s children are learning about staying safe online at school. If they are old enough, use this opportunity to get them involved and role model how you share photos online.

Thanks Isil for sharing these tips with us. You can find more tips for using social media over on Isil’s blog, and find my tips for taking great back to school photographs here.