08/23/2026
Back-to-School Photos: Share Smiles, Not Sensitive Information
As the school year kicks off, social media will light up with proud parents posting first-day photos. It's a heartwarming tradition, but it can also unintentionally expose sensitive information about your child.
Details like school name, grade level, teacher, age and even physical characteristics may seem harmless, but they can be exploited by predators or scammers targeting your child or family.
Even with strict privacy settings, the safest choice is to limit what you share online.
Avoid posting:
School name or location
Age or birthdate
Teacher’s name or classroom
Physical details like height or weight
Personal clues (e.g., answers to security questions)
It is worth treating everyday details with the same caution you would give to a password or a PIN. Celebrate safely with fun captions, close ups of backpacks or shoes or a creative back-to-school sign that does not include identifying information. Let's keep the memories joyful and private. ( Michigan State Police)
