Police Warn Indiana Parents of Photo Trend Danger

Soon, you'll see parents sharing photos of their kids' first day back at school. However, police warn that there are some things that you need to know about before you post them on social media.

Another summer break is coming to an end for kids. Within the next couple of weeks, they will be returning to school. As parents, we all know what comes along with that. Of course, there's the fact that we will be dropping quite a bit of money on back-to-school shopping on supplies and new clothes because the kiddos have outgrown most everything they wore last year. We want them to look sharp and presentable on their first day back. Naturally, as proud parents, we want to show them off on their first day back to school.

Over the past few years, there has been a trend on social media where parents take photos of their kids on the first day of school, posing with a sign to celebrate the first day of a new school year. These signs could be revealing more personal information about your child than you realize. They can all be used by predators, scammers, and other people looking to endanger your child, family, or finances.

Indiana Parents Warned About Back-to-School Photos

We've all seen those photos on social media throughout the years. In fact, you might have taken photos of your kids with those first-day-of-school signs. The problem with these photos lies in what is written on the signs. Here's the thing: these signs feature information - school name, classroom, grade, age, etc. The idea behind it is cute and innocent; however, this information, in the wrong hands, could potentially put your child in danger.

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Posts have been going viral over the past couple of days from law enforcement agencies all over the country warning parents not to share so much information in these photos. Here's a little information on why you should be more cautious with these photos:

Another example comes from the Lafayette, Indiana, Police Department. You can check it out below.

Again, these photos seem harmless, and it's a proud moment for parents and kids alike. However, in the wrong hands, the information on these signs would be scary. This isn't to discourage you from posting photos like this, just be mindful of the information you put out there. You can omit certain answers on the board, or you can blur them out before posting online.