Central New York Parents, Think Twice Before Posting Back To School Pictures

As another school year gets set to take shape, many Central New York parents are ready to share their kids' back-to-school pictures with family and friends on social media.

What might be an innocent post, often hides personal location data that can lead to safety and security risks.

What's The Issue

The popular trend of having your kids hold "first-day-of-school" signs is one of the biggest concerns for child safety advocates and law enforcement.

Local law enforcement and cybersecurity experts are issuing warnings to have parents think twice before posting on social media. Those photos are smarter than we think.

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Many parents unknowingly broadcast their child’s exact location to the public. Smartphones frequently embed hidden metadata or geotag into every photo taken.

If a picture is snapped at a recognizable neighborhood bus stop say in South Utica or features a visible house number in Rome, predators can easily pinpoint a child’s daily routine.

So how do you turn that data off?

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iPhone (iOS)

• Turn off location tracking for future photos: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Camera, then select Never.

• Remove location before sharing a specific photo: Open the photo in the Photos app, tap the Share button, tap Options at the top of the screen, and toggle off Location.

Android

• Turn off location tracking for future photos: Open the Camera app, tap the Settings icon, and toggle off Location tags.

• Remove location before sharing via Google Photos: Open Google Photos, select the picture, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, and tap Remove Location under the map details.

With the rise and popularity of Artificial Intelligence, public photos of minors are increasingly being stolen from social platforms and fed into generative AI models.

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Future Issues

Beyond physical safety, these viral photo trends present a significant, long-term financial risk.

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The personal details displayed on back-to-school signs such as a child’s full name, age, favorite hobbies and high school graduation year are often the exact answers to common banking security questions.

Experts warn that data brokers and hackers actively compile digital profiles of minors before they are even old enough to open a bank account.

What Can You Do 

Look, law enforcement isn't saying don't take any pictures or hold back from posting them on social media for family and friends.

But there are ways to protect you and your family while enjoying the moment.

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Authorities say parents can simply restrict their privacy settings, remove photo metadata and blur any identifying details before hitting share this school year.