Guidance to support schools with learner image security

Research conducted for South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) shows that schools and colleges are good at managing images and videos. However, new technologies bring risks, so we must stay alert to threats.

Any public image or video on social media can be accessed by anyone. Schools should be cautious when sharing learner images or videos publicly. Social media platforms can be vulnerable to web scraping, which collects public content at scale. Losing control of images can expose learners to data and privacy risks.

Practical steps for managing learner images and videos

This guidance suggests ways to reduce risks and support best practices. Some actions, like website changes, need technical help. But there are also practical steps you can take. 

Regularly review online content

Conduct audits of your school’s website and social media to assess the need for learner images. Replace identifiable images with generic visuals where possible.

Apply a ‘names-no-images’ or ‘images-no-names’ policy

Avoid publishing identifiable information with images, such as whole names.

Limit public visibility of learner images

Use images only where necessary. Place them behind secure, password-protected areas like a parents' portal.

Ensure image metadata is removed

Remove location data and other metadata before uploading images.

Use lower-resolution images

Reduce image resolution to limit repurposing.

Strengthen privacy settings on school platforms

Apply strict privacy settings to control access and sharing of images (see the SWGfL social media checklists). Ensure your approach is in line with any local authority or organisation’s social media policy.

Follow established image-use policies

Align image use with data protection policies and ensure:

• consent procedures are up to date
• children and young people have a say in your approach

Embed image security awareness in staff training

Train staff on:

• secure image sharing
• emerging risks
• responsible online content management (including incident response)

Consider the use of staff imagery

Think about how you manage staff images or videos online.

Engage with parents and carers

Communicate with families about: 

• protecting learner images 
• addressing digital risks

Ensure your safeguarding expectations are clear in relation to images and videos of your learners taken during the school day being posted by families on personal social media accounts. Explain the importance of protecting the privacy and safety of all children in the school.

Review and ensure effective policies and processes

Ensure all staff understand:

• their responsibilities 
• how to respond to incidents

Guidance on how to respond to incidents of sharing nudes and semi-nudes is available on Hwb. SWGfL provides related safeguarding and child protection policies. Procedures should identify clear escalation routes, including reporting to:

• the police 
• the Internet Watch Foundation (in cases of suspected child sexual abuse images or videos)

Work with trusted online safety partners

Stay informed by collaborating with organisations like:

• the UK Safer Internet Centre
• SWGfL

Managing image data

Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) stores metadata about images, including:

• date
• time
• location 
• device info

Remove this metadata before uploading images to public platforms. 

Also, check alt-text for identifiable info.

Guide to removing EXIF metadata

Windows

1. Right-click the image file, select ‘Properties’, then the ‘Details’ tab.
2. Click ‘Remove Properties’ and ‘Personal Information’ at the bottom.
3. Choose to create a copy with all properties removed or remove selected properties.
4. Check the resulting file to ensure metadata is removed.

MacOS

1. Open the image in ‘Preview’.
2. Click ‘File: Export’.
3. Ensure the box ‘Include Location Information’ is not checked.
4. Ensure the image title does not contain identifiable info.
5. Click ‘Save’ and check the resulting file.