Courtesy of Mark Kaley
She cited US security specialist Bruce Schneier, who coined the term “Movie Plot Threat,” meaning that the more a threat resembles a movie plot, the less likely it is to occur in real life.
“The idea that someone online is so well-organized that when they see your child and her school’s name and teacher, they will look up the address, figure out the drop-off time, and plan a cross-country trip to come get your particular child — that’s a movie plot threat,” Skenaky wrote in an email to BI.
She noted that someone that a child already knows — not a stranger — is most likely to harm or molest them.
“Obsessing whether someone can read your child’s name on their backpack or back-to-school photo is looking in the wrong direction when it comes to keeping kids safe,” she wrote.
Dad Mark Kaley told BI the controversy about posting back-to-school photos of kids on social media didn’t worry him and his wife, Heather.
Kaley said that he happily shared his kids’ back-to-school photos on social media
He said that they planned to take pictures and videos of their 10-year-old daughter, Autumn, and 16-year-old son, William, when they return to school next week.
“I’ll post them on Facebook and Instagram and not sweat the small stuff,” he said, adding that the risks of anything untoward seemed negligible to him.
The father of three said the pros outweighed the cons, particularly because the photos brought joy to friends and relatives who followed the family online from afar.
“We have a lot of family in New York, and it’s a great way to stay connected and make sure they’re up to date on what we’re all doing,” Kaley, who lives in Florida, said.
He said he frequently posts images of Autumn with her latest teacher as she settles into the classroom. “It provides a nice history,” the 50-year-old said.
“I’ll write a few words such as, ‘Look, Autumn has Mrs. Smith this year. It’s going to be a great year!'”
He said that he liked to think ahead.
“I hope that, in 20 years’ time, a photo will pop up on the timeline and provide a warm memory for Autumn, like, ‘Wow! That was my desk in 5th grade.'”