Richmond Police urge parents to think twice before posting back-to-school photos

Richmond Police Department officials are asking parents and guardians to be cautious when posting back-to-school photos on social media, warning that seemingly routine pictures can include more information than families realize.

In a statement released Tuesday, spokesperson Makenzie Gould said photographs shared during the school start-up period may capture identifying data in the background or within the image itself, including details that could help strangers learn a child’s identity, routines, or connections.

Gould’s guidance focuses on the practical reality that many online posts can be viewed beyond a family’s intended audience. Even when accounts are set to private, police said photos can still be reshared, saved, or viewed by people the poster does not know, increasing the risk of unwanted attention.

Police encouraged parents to consider what is visible in photos before posting, including whether images show full names, school-related identifiers, locations, schedules, or other information that could narrow down who a child is and where they can be found. Officials also noted that back-to-school time often involves multiple photos across the same week, which can compound the amount of information available online.

The department’s reminder comes as schools and families prepare for the new academic year. Across Kentucky, back-to-school events and first-day photos are commonly shared as a way to document routines and celebrate milestones, but Richmond police said families should treat those posts as public-facing content even when the intent is personal.

Gould said parents should also consider the broader impact on community safety, since children can be frequent targets for scams, harassment, and other forms of online or in-person misconduct. By reducing the amount of identifying information shared, police said families can help limit opportunities for bad actors to piece together details about minors.

Richmond police did not announce any specific enforcement action or new policy tied to the warning, framing it instead as a public-safety message directed at parents and caregivers. The department’s communications point to individual responsibility by families as the first line of protection during a period when online sharing tends to increase.