DENVER (KDVR) — Across the country, kids area headed back to school for the new school year. That means your social media feed is probably getting flooded with first day of school photos.
You have also likely seen a lot of those photos with kids holding a sign that says the following:
- Name
- The school they are attending
- Age
- Teacher’s name
- Height, weight
- Favorite activities
However, that can actually be dangerous. A sheriff’s office in Woodstock, Illinois started a campaign called “Think before you share.”
The campaign is warning parents that the popular back to school photos can actually be used by predators, scammers, and other people looking to endanger your child, family, or finances. The sheriff’s office said it does not matter if your privacy settings are set to your friends only.
Here’s what the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said you should avoid sharing on social media:
- School name
- Age
- Teacher’s name
- Grade
- Identifying features, like height, weight, etc.
- Overly personal information, like things related to passwords or security answers
While you might want to post the photo of your child on their first day, the sheriff’s office suggests doing it with limited information to keep you and your family as safe as possible.