Schools’ Sharing of Pupil Photos on Social Media Sparks Debate in England
More than half of primary schools and approximately two-thirds of secondary schools in England have been found to share photographs of pupils on publicly accessible social media accounts. Concerns about AI-generated fake images and the misuse of children’s photographs online are prompting schools to reconsider their image-sharing policies.
The UK National Crime Agency and the Internet Watch Foundation have warned families against posting photographs of their children online. In May, it was reported that photographs of pupils taken from a secondary school’s website and social media accounts had been digitally altered using artificial intelligence and subsequently used for blackmail.
Child safeguarding experts point out that parental permission to share photographs may not substitute for the pupil’s own consent. In particular, the continued use of permissions granted when children are very young has been criticised once those pupils reach adolescence. Experts warn that the permanence of images published online may mean that children encounter unwanted photographs of themselves later in life.
While some experts advocate a complete ban on schools publishing images that show pupils’ faces and bodies, education leaders and legal specialists argue that an outright ban may be disproportionate. Sharing photographs can be valuable for celebrating pupils’ achievements and strengthening communication with families. However, schools are being urged to adopt stricter safeguards concerning the purpose of the images, their visibility, how long they remain online, and the extent to which pupils can be identified.