SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Wednesday was a very busy day for many parents who took their children back to school, and some for the first time.
This is a very exciting experience for many parents. Parents are uploading pictures of their children in their school uniforms either at home or right outside the school premises.
However, the Film and Publication Board (FPB) has warned of big safety concerns that come into play in this regard. Here are the risks:
The child's face is now all over the internet on social media. This picture can be used by anyone, be it for positive or negative purposes.
The child's uniform usually bears the name of the school. Therefore, everyone who has access to the image will now know which school the child goes to.
The user usually does not switch off their location settings or change the privacy settings on their phone.
Followers can easily track where the image was taken and go to the exact location.
Acting CEO of the FPB Sandile Nene says, "Social media sites are platforms that are accessible to anyone and everyone who has a desktop computer or a smartphone.
"Not everyone on social media uses it for the sheer pleasure of uploading content and sharing memories with friends and family.
"There is an increase in online predators lurking on social media platforms to cause harm to children. Each time you post a picture of your child, you could be contributing to your child's digital footprint."
The FPB has drafted a few back-to-school safety tips that parents need to keep in mind when they share images and videos of their children online:
Apply caution when uploading pictures of yourself or your children in school uniform. These may have the name of the school and pose a danger to the child.
Be careful not to post your home (or school) address, phone number or any personal information online. These can be used to locate your child at any time.
Know how to operate the location settings on your phone.
The images you upload show your location if the settings are not turned off.
Know how to activate the privacy settings on your social media pages. Images you upload can be accessible to anyone and everyone if your privacy settings are not activated.
Follow your children on social media and know what they are posting. This allows you to monitor the content they post and advise them accordingly.
Know the passwords and log-in details of your child's social media handles. Children tend to hide things from parents. It is important to have access to their social media platforms so that you can know who they talk to and what they talk about.
Do not post pictures of other children on your social media platforms without their parents' consent. This has serious legal ramifications.
Monitor the amount of time your children spend on social media. Yes, social media can be a great learning tool for your child, but face-to-face interaction is still a vital element of the child's development and growth.
Check the content that is on your child's phone - the applications they have, the games they play and the social media sites they are on. Not all content is appropriate for children.
Create an honest and open relationship with your child.
Be willing to have conversations with your child about the pros and cons of social media.
This allows your children to let you know if they are experiencing any form of bullying, grooming or harassment on social media.
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