Back to school: RCMP warn against sharing personal info

Kids go back to school this coming week – and with all the activity, the new outfits and school bags, parents may be posting more pictures of their kiddos online. But should they? A mama blogger shares her advice.

“We usually post where we are and their first names, but I do try my best to not post anything about a specific school that they go to, the neighbourhood that we live in, or their full names,” Michelle Henderson, Founder of Edmonton Mama.

The founder of the Edmonton Mama blog says she also teaches her kids about internet safety once they’re old enough to be on social media themselves.

“One of my daughters recently got a social media app, and she immediately got a friend request from an older man who looks like he’s in his forties. Immediately. And I was like, ignore that. It might come because that’s how social media works, it’s the internet, you don’t actually know who they are, just ignore it and continue to ignore if you don’t know these people.”

The RCMP are calling on parents to be extra careful as they post first-day-of-school pictures this week to protect their children from possible child luring.

“Do not post images to social media that include the name of your school that your child is attending, and ensure that your photos are taken outside in undisclosed locations. Be mindful not to include visible addresses such as house numbers or street addresses in your photos,” said the RCMP.

The RCMP adding the personal information shared through social media posts could be used by strangers to gain a child’s trust.

“A stranger could approach a youth and say something to the extent of ‘Hey you’re John and you like Hot Wheels, right? I do too, and we should be friends.’ Or, ‘Hey your name’s Jane and you’re eight years old and you go to the elementary school down the road – I know your parents!’.”

The RCMP also recommends parents have regular conversations about internet safety with their kids at home, and Edmonton Mama founder says her rule is if you don’t know them in real life, don’t talk to them online.

“Especially if you’re going to a new school or you’re in a new grade and you’re meeting a lot of new people, just the reminder of: if you have not met this person in-person, they might not be who they say they are, and don’t converse with them at all,” said Henderson.

So with those things in mind, back-to-school doesn’t have to be so scary, and you and your kids’ privacy can be maintained.