‘Think before you share’: Authorities share warning on back-to-school photos

As a new school year quickly approaches for most Minnesota students, law enforcement officials are warning families about a popular trend.

Many parents share back-to-school pictures of their children on social media but they could be giving out information that can be used against them.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office says back-to-school pictures often reveal personal information — such as their grade, age, school name and other identifying features — that predators and scammers can use to target children and parents.

“No matter your privacy setting or friends, it’s best to keep personal information to a minimum,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post this week, which had been shared more than 111,000 times by Wednesday morning.

While it may not be as fun, it may be best to keep the pictures with identifying information for your personal collection.