What you need to consider when it comes to data protection

Children's photos can quickly become a critical issue on the Internet – especially when it comes to data protection. We will therefore tell you what you should consider before putting such photos online.

When the start of school is just around the corner, it's not just the candy cone and school bag that get spruced up. Relatives and friends also polish the lenses on cameras and smartphones to a high shine.

Because when starting school, photos are a must. In the past, many a film was probably taken, and the photos ended up in the family album or in a picture frame in the grandparents' closet.

In the age of digital photography, however, photos of the first day of school quickly end up online, for example in the status on WhatsApp or the stories on Instagram. But there are a few things to consider when it comes to data protection when it comes to children's photos on the Internet.

Data protection: What you should pay attention to when using children's photos on the Internet

If only photos are taken at the school enrollment ceremony that are intended for the photo album, there are no concerns from a data protection perspective. However, it becomes problematic when social networks come into play, as Bettina Gayk, data protection officer for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, warns.

If photos or videos are uploaded to social media, they cannot simply be posted publicly. Photographers must generally use closed user groups or password-protected areas.

“On this special day, the focus is of course on having fun, but we should also not forget to consider the interests of others,” explains the data protection officer. If other people are involved, special consideration must be given.

You cannot assume that everyone agrees to be photographed or filmed and to find the images and films on the Internet. Data protection rightly sets limits here.

Recommendation for taking photos in schools

This is probably particularly easy to implement at your own celebration in a family setting. However, data protection must also be observed on school premises.

For this purpose, schools could set up photo zones, for example, says Gayk. Then it would only be permitted to take photos or film in these areas of the school grounds.

“Schools can ask relatives to use the recordings exclusively for family purposes. The best way to ensure data protection is to obtain consent before recording.”

Photo zones in particular have a decisive advantage: people who want to avoid taking pictures of themselves can avoid these areas.

Gayk recommends that schools themselves obtain consent from parents. This is especially true if the institution itself wants to upload photos to its website or social networks.

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