Wollongong: The publication of children's photos on school websites and social media raises significant privacy concerns. While schools use these images for newsletters, social media, and other publications, this practice contributes to a child's digital footprint, which can impact their privacy and self-esteem.

In Australia, the Privacy Act and Australian Privacy Principles require schools to obtain parental consent before publishing images or personal data. However, the current policies lack detail on how different contexts (e.g., Facebook pages vs. newsletters) affect privacy risks. Parents should be able to selectively consent to different uses of their child's data and understand the consequences of refusal, such as exclusion from certain activities.

Policies often overlook the need for children's direct consent, assuming they lack the capacity to understand. This suggests that current approaches are more about legal compliance than genuinely protecting children's privacy.

To address these issues, governments and educational bodies should improve understanding and communication regarding data use, establish clearer procedures for non-consenting students, and enhance digital literacy education. Parents can advocate for these changes and model safe digital practices by discussing consent with their children and schools.