School Safety in the Digital Age: How to Protect Your Child’s Online and Offline Identity

In 2025, a child’s “first day of school” photo can reveal more than parents realize — not just to friends, but to strangers.

Here’s what’s at stake:

• School logos and uniforms can pinpoint location.

• Backgrounds can reveal neighborhood details.

• Timing and posts can establish a daily routine.

Action steps for parents:

• Review every post as if a stranger is looking at it.

• Avoid real-time posting — share later, if at all.

• Blur or crop identifying features in images.

• Lock down privacy settings, but remember: nothing online is truly private.

Offline identity protection:

• Limit the amount of personal information children wear or carry.

• Avoid announcing vacations or schedule changes publicly.

• Teach children to respond appropriately if approached by someone they don’t know.

In the digital age, your child’s identity is a valuable asset. Keep it in your hands — not in the hands of someone who would misuse it.