LARGO, Fla. — While there’s a lot of excitement for the first day of school in the Tampa Bay area, local law enforcement agencies are cautioning parents to think twice about taking part in what’s become a 21st-century tradition.
Every start to the school year sees social media pages flooded with pictures of kids, dressed up and ready for their first day. Often, they’re holding chalkboard signs with things like their name, age, teacher and other personal information.
It’s a tradition to keep memories and track the years as kids grow older, but it may be best to keep those photos to yourself and offline.
“While the photos, they're cute, they're nice to remember, we are advising parents to not post it online,” Corporal Dave Brenn with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.
While you may see an innocent post, Brenn says criminals may see an opportunity.
“Unfortunately, some criminals are smart. They know that back to school, parents are going to do this, and they can get a leg up on information,” he explained.
It's information creeps could use in scams or to get closer to kids, according to Brenn.
“Children, they're innocent. They don't know that criminals are out there, and so if you post what grade they're in, what their favorite food is, or their teacher's name. A criminal could use that to try to gain a child's trust. Oh, they know what my teacher's name is. They know what my favorite food is. Mommy and Daddy must be friends with them,” Brenn explained.
You don’t have to forego taking first-day pics altogether, just consider leaving out a lot of what may be on those popular signs.
“Keep it to a bare minimum. First day of school with a smiley face. We'd even suggest not even putting the child's grade on it,” Brenn added.
Because even if your social media profile is set to private, you don’t know where that photo may end up.
“If a friend or a family member shares it, and their privacy settings maybe aren't so secure Now, potentially hundreds of thousands of people can see your child and all their information that you've shared,” Brenn added.