Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/871892
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 40 Back to School Back to School Before sharing your back to school pictures… When every sunset and photogenic breakfast seems worthy enough to post online, it's only natural to want to share photos of your kids going back to school BUT posting these pictures to Facebook and Instagram could be putting them at risk. That's according to the UK's NSPCC (National Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Children), which is urging parents to think before sharing. The charity is reminding proud parents to be careful about giv- ing away too much in these online photos, especially when your privacy settings leave a lot to be desired Photos featuring school logos could be giving away your child's iden- tity and location. While documenting children's lives on social media has become a modern-day tradition, have you considered if your child actually wants their photo taken? Every time a photo or video is posted, a 'digital footprint' of a child is created which can follow them into adult life. It is always important to ask a child for their permission before posting photos or videos of them. For very young children, think about whether they would be happy for you to post or if it will embarrass them. If you aren't sure, it's best not to post. Concerned parents should follow this advice: • Make sure that there isn't anything in the photos or videos which could allow a child's location or identity to be recognised, such as school logos or signs, road names, or names of clubs that your child attends. • Turn your privacy settings on so that only people you are friends with can view your profile and photos, and turn off your geo-loca- tion settings so that your followers can't work out where you and your child live and visit. • If you want to upload an image that shows other people's children, make sure that you seek permission from their parents and the child first.