Smart move from schools banning pupils from posting images of classmates online due to safety concerns.

The Herald Sun reports, St Kevin’s College is the latest to act, directing primary students not to post on the internet pictures of school buildings, sports events or teachers.

Cyber safety experts say such actions are becoming ­increasingly necessary, both to protect children from predators, bullying and violent parents, and to respect privacy.

In February, parents of St Kevin’s junior school students were asked to sign up to rules which specify that no photographs, videos or sounds bites of students, staff, school buildings, sports teams or other identifiable images are to be posted online.

And permission was needed to take photographs of others.

Grades 5 and 6 pupils were also banned from using iPads on public transport and in the playground.

The school said in a newsletter that the policy was aimed at creating a “safe and secure environment” for students.

Cyber safety expert Susan McLean applauded the crackdown, saying that more and more schools were introducing similar policies.

She said court orders prohibited the taking or publishing of images of many children.

“You can’t rely on kids’ commonsense; you do need to have very clear rules,” she said.

“Schools are very slowly, unfortunately, coming to the realisation that these sorts of things need to be in policy,” Ms McLean said.

“I’m forever dealing with ­issues involving photography, whether it’s taking pictures of other people’s kids in the background at sports day without permission, or pictures being taken of other students, then posted online with nasty comments,” she said.

“I’d like to think that in junior school, social media would be prohibited, as you have to be 13 to set up an account.”

Ms McLean said many parents didn’t want pictures of their young children online.

Education department spokesman Steve Tolley said state school staff developed their own policies regarding images of students.

“Schools are best placed to decide on how they enforce this. That may include requiring written consent before a photograph is taken, or not allowing videos and photos taken on school grounds to be posted online,” he said.

I think all schools need to follow suit!

What do you think? Smart move or too nanny like?

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