Before you post back to school pics on social media

With the school year starting again, social media is full of adorable back-to-school photos.

Often, these pictures feature a child holding a “first day of school” sign with basic information, such as their name and grade. While these photos are a great way to capture yearly milestones, the information shared in these photos can pose a security risk.

It might seem harmless to share your child’s basic information on social media in a back-to-school photo.

However, since 59% of U.S. adults use birthdays or names in their passwords, these cute photos could potentially leave you vulnerable to a personal data risk.

Before you jump on the trend and snap a similar picture of your little one, be cautious about what you share. Avoid sharing personal details about your child. Back-to-school photos often involve kids holding a board with their name, age, school, teacher, and grade level. Scammers could use this information to attempt to commit identity theft.

If you’re one to use your child’s personal information in passwords, this also leaves you vulnerable to a security breach. Not to mention, these details are also often used as security questions for banking or credit card accounts. Choose generic backgrounds for your photos.

Be mindful of any house numbers, street signs, or other identifiable locations in the background of your photos. Make sure no school signs, bus stops, or other landmarks are visible that could reveal your child’s location.

Double-check your privacy settings. Practice good cybersecurity habits. If you’re using personally identifiable information in your passwords, or if you’re using the same password for multiple accounts, it’s time to do some password management. For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.

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