PARENTS have been warned not to post back-to-school photographs of their children online amid fears they could fall into the wrong hands.
Cyber security experts have told how paedophiles and other dangerous individuals could glean a wealth of sensitive information about your kids off one seemingly-innocent image.
Mums and dads share about 1.3billion images of their kids on social media each year. Almost a third of those are posted on public profiles, which can be looked at by anyone.
These pictures unwittingly provide the child’s name, age, location and if they’re in branded uniform – which school they attend.
Cybersecurity company McAfee said despite fears paedophiles could access images, 53 per cent of parents will still post about their children’s first day back at school online.
Raj Samani, Chief Scientist and McAfee Fellow, told Fabulous Digital: “If such shared images get into the wrong hands, they can be used to gather personal information like schools, a child’s full name or even birth dates to paint a picture of who they are, which could have serious repercussions ranging from identity theft to cyberbullying.
“It’s important for parents to think twice about what they share publicly before it is too late.”
The worrying rise of ‘sharenting’ – parents overusing social media to post about their children – has been noted by MPs.
The Science and Technology Committee heard from a panel of experts last year, highlighting the risks to children from social media.
Tory MP Damien Moore said: “What about sharenting – where parents themselves are responsible? Criminals are downloading these pictures and images and using them for sexual content.”
Children’s charity Barnardo’s also raised fears that paedophiles were accessing these images and circulating them.
Tips on social media sharing for parents
Sharenting can put your kids at risk online – follow this guide to stay safe…
- Master the privacy settings – Check who can see your posts and make sure they aren’t public. Find out how in our guide to Facebook privacy. On Instagram, consider setting your profile to private.
- Think twice before posting – Could this post prove embarrassing for my child when they’re older? Could this comment be taken out of context? If in doubt, don’t share.
- Talk to your child – When your child is old enough to grasp social media, ask if they are okay with you sharing a post or photo.
- Don’t share – One of the best ways to keep your child safe online is not to share photos and posts about them.
- Check online sfatey guides – The NSPCC, Internet Mattersand Childnet all have social media protection resources for parents that you can consult.
Emily Cherry, of Barnardo’s, had a warning for parents, telling the Mail: “Think hard before you post an image.
“If it is an image that could be used in a sexualised nature you need to be asking questions.
“How would I feel and how would my child feel if it went into the wrong hands?”
Holly Willoughby found a clever way to mark her son Chester’s first day of school, without sharing any personal information.
The mum-of-three took to Instagram and uploaded a photo of three pairs of black school shoes.
The 37-year-old wrote: “Big day for Chester tomorrow, 1st day of school.”
Raj added: “Social media is an incredible tool for sharing our children’s achievements with loved ones.
“And, if your child has done really well in their GCSE’s it’s only natural to want to post about it on social media and share how proud you are.
“However, parents are clearly not giving enough consideration to what they post online and both the emotional and security risks of content posted on public social media accounts.”
He added there were also concerns over the ‘digital footprint’ left behind, and problems which this could cause children when they’re older.
If such shared images get into the wrong hands, they can be used to gather personal information like schools, a child’s full name or even birth dates
Raj Samani
Some people may wish their information hadn’t been widely shared when they were younger, and find it crops up later in life, such as when applying for jobs or university.
Raj added: “In addition, parents must recognise that sharing information about, or photos of their children ultimately leaves a digital footprint.
“This can lead to future problems such as job applications or university decisions being made from what the internet says about your child, rather than his or her ability itself.”
Meanwhile we recently revealed Princess Charlotte could be learning French as she starts school this month.
Plus Kate Middleton will be taking her to school on her first day, after missing Prince George’s due to illness.
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