As children head back to school, parents may want to share photos to mark the moment.
But the Better Business Bureau has issued a reminder to be cautious and protect personal information.
It said while the pictures are a good way to capture yearly milestones, the information shared in them can pose security risks.
Often, these pictures feature a child holding a “first day of school” sign with basic information, such as their name and grade.
It might seem harmless to share your child’s basic information on social media.
Since many people use birthdays or names in their passwords, though, these cute photos could potentially leave you vulnerable to a personal data risk.
Here are BBB’s top tips for sharing back-to-school photos.
- Avoid sharing personal details about your child. Back-to-school photos often involve kids holding a board with their name, age, school, teacher, and grade level. Scammers could use this information to attempt to commit identity theft. If you’re one to use your child’s personal information in passwords, this also leaves you vulnerable to a security breach. Not to mention, these details are also often used as security questions for banking or credit card accounts.
- Watch out for fake 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.
- Choose generic backgrounds for your photos. Be mindful of any house numbers, street signs, or other identifiable locations in the background of your photos. Make sure no school signs, bus stops, or other landmarks are visible that could reveal your child’s location.
- Double-check your privacy settings. Review your social media account’s privacy settings regularly. Be mindful of who 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.
- Practice good cybersecurity habits. If you’re using personally identifiable information in your passwords, or if you’re using the same password for multiple accounts, it’s time to do some password management. Read BBB’s tips for creating a strong password so you can protect your accounts.
For more information, visit BBB’s back-to-school HQ.
