Back-to-school photos on social media carry privacy risks

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - As East Texans gear up for the new school year, many of us want to capture the moment with a picture. Those “First Day of School” photos are tradition, but they can turn into a big risk when they hit our social media feeds.

Content posted online remains accessible even after deletion. Fraudsters can learn about you and your family from just one picture. Taking care to remove personal details — such as a home address, last name or birthday — makes it harder for scammers to gather that information to use it against you.

Before sharing a photo, check the background for visible house numbers, street signs or license plates and blur them out. An even safer option is to take the pictures against a neutral wall indoors - or pick a plain outdoor backdrop. Other ways to control how much you share include setting social media accounts to private, avoiding tagging the school in any posts and leaving out details such as a teacher’s name.

If you’re unsure, your photo is safe to share, ask yourself these questions:

• Does the photo reveal my child’s school?
• Is there any personal information visible?
• Who can see this post?
• Would I be comfortable if someone I didn’t know saw this?

If any of those questions raise concern, adjustments to the photo or post settings are recommended before sharing. The goal is not to avoid sharing milestone moments, but to share them safely.