Trending
As families across our area prepare for a new school year, the Center for Child Justice, Blair County’s Children’s Advocacy Center, is encouraging parents and caregivers to think carefully about the personal information they share in first-day-of-school photos.
For years, the CAC has educated families about online safety, digital privacy and the ways offenders use publicly available information to target children. While first-day-of-school photos are a cherished tradition, many of the signs used in these posts can unintentionally reveal details that put children at risk.
“We understand these photos are meant to celebrate an exciting milestone, but many parents don’t realize how much personal information they’re sharing,” said Richard Servello, director of the Center for Child Justice. “A child’s name, school, grade, teacher, age, hobbies and interests may seem harmless individually, but together they can provide a roadmap for someone seeking to establish trust, manipulate or exploit a child.”
Many first-day-of-school signs include a child’s full name, school, grade, teacher, age, favorite activities, sports teams and personal interests. Child safety experts warn that this information can be viewed not only by friends and family, but also by strangers, fake accounts and individuals actively searching social media for information about children.
Online offenders increasingly use publicly available information to build a false sense of familiarity with children. Knowing a child’s school, teacher, favorite sport, or interests can make an interaction appear legitimate when it is not.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children continues to report significant increases in online enticement and technology-facilitated
child exploitation. In 2025 alone, NCMEC received more than 1.4 million reports involving online enticement of children.
The rise of artificial intelligence has added another layer of concern. The FBI has warned that offenders are using images taken from social media to create realistic, AI-generated explicit content of victims, including minors, and then using those images in harassment, blackmail and sextortion schemes. A single publicly shared photo can provide both the image and the personal details needed to target a child or teenager.
NCMEC has also reported a dramatic increase in CyberTipline reports involving generative AI, highlighting how rapidly these technologies are being exploited by offenders.
The CAC is not advising families to stop taking or sharing first-day-of-school photos. Instead, parents are encouraged to limit identifiable information before posting online.
Safety tips for families:
– Avoid posting a child’s full name.
– Do not include the name of the school.
– Leave off teacher names.
– Avoid sharing schedules, bus routes, or classroom details.
– Review privacy settings on social media accounts.
– Consider sharing photos only with close friends and family.
– Think carefully before posting information that could help a stranger identify or contact a child.
“The goal isn’t fear. The goal is awareness,” Servello said. “Families can absolutely celebrate these important moments while still protecting their children’s privacy and safety.”
As the new school year begins, the Center for Child Justice encourages families to remember one simple rule:
Share the smile, not the personal details.
Richard Servello is the director of the Center for Child Justice, Blair County's Children's Advocacy Center, dedicated to supporting children and families when there are concerns of abuse. The Center’s mission is to promote safety, healing, and hope while supporting children and caregivers.