Students to be Excluded from Events Unless They Allow Names and Photo's on Social Media

Students at NSW public schools have been told they can’t participate in major school events without giving permission for their name and photo to appear on social media channels.

Students in NSW public schools have been told they can’t participate in major school events without giving permission for their name and photo to appear on social media channels.

Parents say this violates their children’s privacy and puts them in danger online, reports Sydney Morning Herald.

Permission forms for children to attend a number of events conducted by the NSW Department of Education now require parents to acknowledge that permission extends to “still photography, electronic media and social media, the use of the participant’s name, image and voice and biographical material in connection with [the event]”.

The forms are a departure from traditional Department of Education permission slips that included a separate option for parents to either give or withhold permission to publish their child’s name, photograph, voice or video.

Parents say the new forms are a violation of children’s right to privacy and go against the government’s own advice to students on what information they should share online.

“There’s a plethora of information that tells them not to publish their schools, not to have photographs of themselves in school uniforms because these are things that can be used for grooming children,” one mum said to SMH.

“The department is . . . putting photos of kids onto public social media pages and public school websites.

“My nine-year-old daughter can’t participate unless we agree to have her image up on Facebook, despite the fact that kids aren’t even allowed on Facebook until they’re 13.”

A spokeswoman for the NSW Department of Education said that “it may be possible to limit photographs and filming of individual students” for smaller events, but it was harder to make exemptions for large events.

“Students can still participate, and every accommodation is made by event organisers to exclude students without media consent permission from brochures or programs. Parents with concerns should discuss these with their school principal in the first instance.”

We recently shared a post following reports that photos of British school children, some as young as five, are being harvested from social media accounts and shared across a Russian ‘paedophile website’. Which is exactly why schools should NOT share images of students online. Read more here.

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19 Comments

- - mom114371 said
  - 26 May 2019
    9:13 pm
I don’t agree with this. If it is a private group only for parents of the school children maybe but otherwise totally unsafe

- - rnash02 said
  - 21 May 2019
    8:56 pm
This is stupid!!

- - BellaB said
  - 21 May 2019
    2:38 pm
Yeah, I think the schools or Department of Education need to take another look at this moronic idea. It’s a fight I have with our primary school at least once a term.

- - mom62990 said
  - 21 May 2019
    8:22 am
Foster children by law can’t have their names or photos published anywhere
If this happens the school would be breaking the law

- - Ellen said
  - 21 May 2019
    8:05 am
I don’t agree with this stand that the kids can’t participate in school events without the permission of name and photos shared on social media. But usually I give permission.

- - mom265671 said
  - 20 May 2019
    10:40 pm
I wouldn’t want other people posting without my consent. But it doesnt mean they cant play too

- - Blossom said
  - 20 May 2019
    9:21 pm
I wouldn’t put or allow anybody to put my childrens photos in anything public, certainly on facebook or google. Photos can so easily be used in so many illegal ways. It can also be a safety issue. If you are divorced and your ex is violent do you want your ex to know find out which school you child attends?? I certainly wouldn’t.

- - becstalou said
  - 20 May 2019
    8:42 pm
This seems like an unusual policy. I hope they review it.
- mom93821 replied
  
  24 May 2019 , 5:17 am
  A policy that needs deeper scrutiny.
- - ashna9 said
  - 20 May 2019
    7:14 pm
I can understand schools trying to cover themselves. Is this for the school account or for the private accounts of others who post about the event?

- - mom93821 said
  - 20 May 2019
    5:49 pm
Maybe parents need to read the human rights privacy and dignity policy.

- - squeekums said
  - 20 May 2019
    5:28 pm
Well my kid would miss out as I have no Facebook and will never consent to that crap.

They would also miss out on any voluntary fee on principal, any money I’d have spent at the event my child would be barred from wouldn’t get spent.

Sa better be ready for a fight from me if they try this

- - mom74005 said
  - 20 May 2019
    4:21 pm
It is quite hard to manage socials and who has and hasn’t provided permission for content to be used.

- - mom90758 said
  - 20 May 2019
    3:26 pm
It looks like the world is going backwards!!!

- - Carly said
  - 20 May 2019
    1:46 pm
they shouldn’t have to miss out!!

- - mom206279 said
  - 20 May 2019
    12:56 pm
Not ok at all!! Its more than acceptable for parents to not want their kids all over the internet without their kids missing out on anything because of it.

- - mom81879 said
  - 20 May 2019
    12:54 pm
This is not good at all! Why does social media have to feed such a huge focus of our lives? Why can’t the kids participate in major school events without having to worry about social media? This is wrong on so many levels

- - AmbieBambi said
  - 20 May 2019
    12:28 pm
Oh my goodness, people need to get over trying to have everything on social media, especially schools! I think that rule is a bit silly!

- - Jmac said
  - 20 May 2019
    12:01 pm
So the Department of Education is happy for the kids to miss out on school events??? Massive privacy issues here and reeks a little bit like bullying and a dictator state!