UK-wide police reminder as children return to school this week

UK-wide police reminder as children return to school this week People need to be extra cautious about what they post online A photo in front of the door at the start of the new school term is a tradition that most proud parents follow year after year. But people have been warned that posting these memories online could reveal much more to criminals. In an Instagram post, Sussex Police reminded parents of the potential dangers of posting images of their children online. Sharing information, it said: "Every day, family photos can be misused by AI tools to create illegal child abuse imagery. Hearing this as a parent or carer can feel alarming, but you are not alone. "There are steps you can take, many you may already be doing, to protect your family and friends." The clip, viewed by more than two million people so far, showed a photo that appears to be AI-generated of two young children being photographed outside before returning to school. In it, the police force highlighted that simple oversights can lead to a great deal of personal information becoming common knowledge to criminals. Aside from including things like the house number and street name, it pointed out other common ways people accidentally leave clues about their identity in plain sight. In the example, the 'family' left the school logos visible on their child's uniform. It also included a personalised sign which proudly included their new year group (indicating their general age range). It also showed how easy it is to forget background details, such as the car you drive and its registration. It also included easy-to-miss details about your identity, such as your name and marital status. The force provided parents with an online guide, created by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), on how to help stop the cycle of AI child sexual abuse imagery. While proud family members should not feel like they cannot take these photos for themselves, it is important to remember what keeps their child safe online. How to protect your child’s photos from AI abuse Tighter privacy settings are one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of children’s photos being misused by AI. Most social media platforms put these controls in the Settings menu under headings such as “Privacy”, “Safety” or “Account”, where parents can make profiles private and restrict who can view posts. If you still want to share pictures online, it’s safer to limit the audience as much as possible by selecting a 'close friends' list or custom visibility options so only selected people can see them. It can also help to review what’s already online. Looking back through your own posts, and any made by family or friends, can help you check what identifying details are visible - such as your child’s face, body, school uniform or other clues - and decide whether you’re still comfortable with the content being public. Where possible, delete posts or change them to private. Finally, experts recommend revisiting image consent regularly, both within the family and with organisations such as schools or clubs. Involving children in the conversation as they get older can help them understand that it’s fine to say no to having photos taken or shared. It’s also worth re-checking any consent forms you’ve signed and considering whether you want to limit or withdraw permission for your child’s images to be used.