We’re calling on the Department for Education to protect children’s privacy and safety by stopping schools from posting children’s images on public social media.

We urge the Department for Education, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and national safeguarding bodies to issue clear guidance to protect children from the very real and evolving digital harms that arise when schools routinely post children’s images on public social media.

Children have a legal and moral right to privacy and safety. Yet current school practices, frequently sharing photos and videos of children on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X , expose children to risks that are no longer theoretical but very real.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

1. Children cannot give informed consent to a permanent digital footprint.

Children, especially young ones, are unable to understand or agree to how images of them will be used, stored, copied, or repurposed. Once an image is posted publicly, control is lost forever.

2. AI technology has dramatically increased the risk of misuse.

Emerging AI tools have shown that even partially obscured photos can be manipulated or identified, and can generate sexually explicit or deepfake content involving children. Regulators around the world, including in the EU and UK, have condemned the creation of such images as illegal and harmful, and platforms are under pressure to address these risks urgently.  

3.  Public platforms such as X and Instagram are built to maximise reach and profit, not child safety. These platforms have faced repeated criticism from regulators and experts for inadequate safeguards and weak moderation. Choosing to publish children’s images on such platforms, despite these known risks, raises serious safeguarding concerns. Children are not promotional material, and their safety must take priority over visibility or marketing.

4. Predators and criminals exploit publicly shared photos.

Research shows that sharing images and personal information publicly can expose children to identity theft, cyberbullying, and predatory behaviour. Experts warn that photos of children and seemingly innocuous details can be repurposed for exploitation, including by AI tools to create sexualised or abusive content.  

5. Parents and carers are often not fully informed.

Many are unaware of the long-term consequences of public sharing, and of how easily images can spread beyond intended audiences, even when posted with good intentions.

Current School Practices Are Outdated and Risky

Many schools continue to post children’s images publicly, sometimes alongside school names, uniforms, or locations, making it easier for strangers to know where children learn, travel, and spend time. This can directly increase the risk of stalking, grooming, or other predatory approaches.

Safeguarding policies must reflect that children deserve protection until they are old enough to provide informed consent themselves,  especially when technology makes it easier than ever to misuse images.

Safer Alternatives Already Exist

Many schools already use platforms that better protect children’s privacy, such as:

 • Private, password-protected communication systems (e.g., ClassDojo, Seesaw)

 • Parent-only groups with controlled membership

 • Non-identifiable images or group photos without names or locations

These options respect children’s privacy while still allowing schools to share updates with families.

What We Are Calling For

We urge the Department for Education, safeguarding bodies, and policymakers to:

 1. Issue clear national guidance discouraging or restricting the use of public social media for sharing children’s images.

 2. Update safeguarding and data protection guidance to specifically address modern AI-related risks.

 3. Require schools to prioritise private, secure platforms for sharing images with parents and carers.

 4. Ensure parents are given genuinely informed consent, including clear explanations of long-term risks.

 5. Place children’s safety and privacy above school marketing and promotion.

A Parent and Carer Perspective

As parents and carers, we trust schools to protect our children. Promotion of school life should never come at the expense of safeguarding, particularly in a digital world where risks evolve faster than existing guidance.

Children deserve protection, not exposure.

By signing this petition, you support stronger protections for children’s privacy, clearer national guidance for schools, and safeguarding practices that reflect the realities of today’s digital world.