Assam Police Flags Risks Of Posting Students' Photos, Details Online

Assam Police has called upon schools and educational institutions to play a more proactive role in protecting children in the digital space. In a fresh advisory police have urged caution while sharing students' photographs, videos and personal information on social media platforms. 

The advisory comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of children's images and personal details by cybercriminals and online predators. 

According to Assam Police, such content can be exploited for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), AI-generated image manipulation, impersonation, grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying and identity theft. Schools have therefore been advised to avoid posting identifiable photographs and videos of children wherever possible.

Instead, institutions have been encouraged to use safer alternatives such as group photographs, back-facing images, blurred visuals, illustrations and activity-based content that does not reveal the identity of individual students. 

The advisory also warns against publishing sensitive details such as students' full names, class information, identity cards, phone numbers, residential addresses and transport-related information. 

The move builds on Assam Police's earlier #DontBeASharent campaign, which brought national attention to the issue of "sharenting" - the practice of parents sharing children's photographs and personal details online without fully considering privacy, consent and long-term digital implications.

The campaign emphasised that children's right to privacy should be respected and that images shared online can be copied, altered and circulated far beyond their intended audience. 

Extending that principle from homes to educational institutions, Assam Police noted that schools frequently share content related to celebrations, competitions, excursions and academic achievements. While often well-intentioned, such posts can inadvertently expose children's identities, routines and locations, creating potential risks. Educational institutions, the advisory states, hold a position of trust and must adopt a more child-centric approach when making decisions about online content. 

The initiative has also gained wider national visibility after being amplified by CyberDost, the cyber-awareness platform of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The advisory has since been shared and discussed across multiple Indian languages and received support from educational stakeholders, regional media outlets and police organizations outside Assam. 

Recognising that online experiences increasingly affect students' emotional well-being, behaviour and academic performance, Assam Police is now planning a dedicated awareness and capacity-building programme for schools. The initiative aims to help teachers identify and respond to issues such as cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, image-based abuse, compulsive digital behaviour and exposure to harmful online communities. 

The proposed programme will introduce educators to the concept of online trauma-informed pedagogy, equipping them to recognise signs of digital distress, respond sensitively to online incidents, protect children's privacy and establish effective reporting mechanisms within schools. It will also address emerging threats such as AI-generated deepfakes and image morphing. 

Speaking on the initiative, Assam DGP Harmeet Singh said, "Children do not leave their online experiences outside the school gate. The internet is now an integral part of their social, emotional and educational lives, and what happens online can have a direct impact on their wellbeing, behaviour and learning." 

He stressed that schools and teachers have a critical role in safeguarding children in the digital age and that protecting children online requires responsible conduct not only from young users but also from adults and institutions handling children's information. 

Assam Police said the proposed engagement with schools will encourage institutions to develop internal social media policies, create consent and review mechanisms, designate authorised personnel for publishing content, and sensitise both teaching and non-teaching staff who handle students' photographs and personal information. The overarching objective, officials said, is to create safer digital environments where children can learn, participate and grow with dignity and security.