01/09/2026
Ahead of the first day back on Thursday, a reminder to all parents, grandparents and carers about online safety.
We all love a first-day-back photograph. New uniform, new shoes, a new year group and a moment worth celebrating. But before you post it online, look carefully at what else the photograph tells people.
The example below shows just how much information can accidentally be shared in a single image: a street name, house number, vehicle registration, school, child’s name, year group and age. Put together, those details can reveal far more about a child and their family than you intended.
Organised crime and exploitation are very real issues, including here in Southampton. Information shared publicly online can be copied, saved and used by people you never intended to see it.
Before posting those lovely first-day photographs:
🚨 Check the background for street signs, house numbers and landmarks
🚨 Avoid showing vehicle registration plates
🚨 Keep school names, logos and badges out of view where possible
🚨 Think carefully before sharing your child’s full name, age or year group
🚨 Check who can actually see your posts and review your privacy settings
🚨 Remember that information from several innocent posts can be pieced together
Celebrate the moment. Take the photograph. Keep the memory. Just think before you share it.
Once something is online, you cannot control where it goes next.
