Police caution parents about sharing kids' personal info. online

BALLWIN, Mo. - With students heading back to school, the Ballwin Police Department is warning parents about posting their children’s information online.

According to Shannon Schaper, a police officer for the city of Ballwin, photos of minors with personal details such as full name, school name, teacher’s name and extracurricular activities can pose risks.

“Predators can get ahold of this information; it can make them know where your children are, how to approach your children with hobbies and interests, their location, where they live and what school bus they are going to be on,” Schaper explained.

Schaper also recommends that parents engage in an open discussion with their children about their online activities, closely monitoring who they interact with and the content they share on the internet.

“You want to make sure that they're aware of what they're sending,” Schaper told FOX 2. “Who they're sending to, who they're talking to. They don't want to send their information out to strangers.”

If parents choose to post photos about their child's first day of school, Schaper has this tip.

"Make one for your friends and family to share—picture-wise, not social media-wise—with their information. And then make another poster with more of a condensed version of their information so that people can't get ahold of it,” she said.