At back-to-school time across Australia, well-meaning and proud parents often flood their social media feeds with photos of smiling children in school uniforms. But should they?
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is advising caregivers to be careful about what they post online and think about who might have access – and what information can be gleaned from the posts.
The eSafety Commission says people outside a parent’s social circle can access public photos of children and use them for unintended purposes.
Those purposes include harassment, identity theft and unwanted contact.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider wants to remind parents that even mundane pictures can become abuse material.
“The AFP has seen non-explicit pictures of children and young people become the target of highly sexualised and inappropriate comments or role-play,” says Schneider.
“While these incidents are rare, the sad reality is they do happen.”
Parents can put children at risk
Griffith University’s Associate Professor of Criminology Danielle Harris says the “pride and excitement” of sharing these pictures can blind parents to serious risks about social media sharing.
“You put your child and yourself at risk,” she says.
“From my research, when a child is abused, they are most likely to be abused by somebody that they know. If you’re posting identifiable information to what you think is a circle of friends, you are widening that circle of trust.”
Consent matters
Even though parents have no legal obligation to ask their children for consent to post a picture, experts recommend involving children in the decision-making.
eSafety says that when parents and carers involve children by asking them to choose which images to share demonstrates “respectful” behaviour.
Harris suggests waiting until children are 16 years old for them to give informed consent.
“Once you posted the photo, it is really no longer in your control,” she says.
“I have done the same thing and posted pictures online, but I think you do the best that you can until you know better.”
Tips for protecting your child online
The AFP recommend a privacy checklist for parents and carers.
“Small actions can mitigate big risks,” Schneider says.
“Something as simple as blurring or obscuring the logo of your child’s school on their uniform or in the background of an image can help ensure they don’t become a target.”
Other tips from the AFP include:
- Keep personal information, including full name and age, private
- Avoid posting photos in school uniforms that help identify location
- Only share images of your children with people you know and trust
- Consider a closed group with approved members, instead of posting on a public social media page
- Set strong privacy settings on all social media accounts.
Harris believes it’s best for parents to avoid posting photos altogether.
“You either want to run that risk, or you don’t, so it would be best not to post that stuff publicly,” she says.
“Children’s details can be a form of currency online. So, if you’re somebody who is second guessing having posted your children going back to school … it’s never too early and it’s never too late to take them down.”
