(WETM) – With back-to-school season being at its peak, the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York reminds parents to be safe when sharing photos of their kids on the first day of school.
The latest trend for back-to-school photos is to have your child hold a “first day of school” sign that includes basic information including the child’s name, grade, age, school and teacher’s name. While this may seem like a fun trend to jump on, the BBB encourages parents to be cautious about what information they share online about their children.
To ensure that you’re taking the right precautions when choosing what to post online, the BBB has provided some tips to follow for back-to-school photos:
- Avoid sharing personal details about your child. Back-to-school photos often involve kids holding a board with their full name, age, height and other details. Scammers or predators could use this information to commit identity theft or earn your child’s trust.
- Leave off information about kids’ schools. Even sharing the name of your child’s school, teacher or grade level could make them a target for untrustworthy people. These details are often used as security questions for banking or credit card accounts.
- Double check your privacy settings. Review your social media account’s privacy settings regularly. Be mindful of whom can view your posts. You may want to remove personal information from your account that others can see, such as your telephone number or address.
- Watch out for phony friend requests. Don’t accept friend requests from strangers. Also, think twice before you accept a friend request from someone you are already connected with. It could be an impostor trying to access your information and friends list.
For more tips on back-to-school safety, visit the Better Business Bureau website.
