Debate over first-day-of-school photos: is a school name in the picture a safety risk?

September 1 is a special day for many families, and parents traditionally take photos of their children outside school or holding flowers, sharing these moments on social media. Every year, however, the same question resurfaces: how safe is it to publish such pictures, especially when the school’s name is clearly visible?

This year, the discussion was sparked by a user on the social platform “Threads”, who expressed frustration at why people keep posting photos with the school name in the background despite repeated warnings. She also pointed to company profiles that reveal where the owner’s or an employee’s children attend school.

Reactions in the comments were mixed. Some noted that finding out where a child studies is not difficult nowadays, especially in smaller towns where there are few schools. One commenter added that schools and local newspapers often publish children’s names, school and class, so even without parents’ posts, someone determined can learn this information. Others argued that the concern is exaggerated.

The article stresses that a photo may show not only the child but also the school name, class or location. Such pieces of information may seem insignificant, but when combined with other publicly available data, they can paint a fuller picture of a child’s daily routine. Parents should therefore consider not only whether the photo is nice, but also what it reveals about their child.

The State Police has previously advised parents to pay special attention to whether a school’s name appears in photos taken on the first day of school. An LA.LV poll asked whether such a photo may be posted online if the school’s name is visible, with options ranging from “yes, I see no problem” to “such photos should not be published publicly”.