Parents and caregivers are being warned ahead of sending their children back to school after the summer break.
As the kids return - or start - school, many proud parents share photos on social media, to share their little ones growing up with family and friends. But this can be problematic for a number of reasons, according to security experts.
ADT said while most parents are conscious not to post images with their child’s uniform logo on show, there are other lesser-known home security factors to also consider before posting an image online this school year.
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Glenn Amato, ADT managing director told the ECHO : “As schools across the country reopen following the summer holidays this September, many well-meaning parents will be uploading photos of their children on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram to celebrate the milestone.
"But as social feeds become filled with seemingly harmless photos of smiling children and beaming parents, these images could sadly be opening households up to attacks from burglars and online fraudsters. The issue is that these images can end up unwittingly containing a wealth of personal information that could be dangerous in the wrong hands."
ADT guidance for posting "back to school " photos this September:
Turn off location data on your phone and don’t tag your location on social media: you don’t want someone to be able to easily find your home. Depending on when the photo is posted, this could also show potential thieves that you are not in the house, leaving your property vulnerable.
Don’t show anything that is easily recognisable about your home, such as a unique door or statues outside the house: this information, coupled with an exact home location on social media, could be risky if it ended up in the wrong hands.
Remove your door number from the image (blur it if possible or avoid taking picture with it in view).
If the photos are taken inside your home, make sure not to show any security systems that you have inside: if a burglar understands the home security you have in place and the exact setup, this could open you up to crime.
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