1.What you share about your child can become part of their digital footprint
Often known as ‘sharenting’, it is becoming increasingly common for parents to share information on their children via social media. A photo can sometimes reveal more than intended. Geotagged posts could give away locations that a child regularly visits, while details such as their name, age, school or hobbies can build up a picture of their life. There are also wider considerations around privacy, cyberbullying and the fact that children may not want certain moments from their childhood shared online later in life.
John Pepper advises parents to think about their child’s digital footprint when posting online: “Most parents are sharing these things because they’re proud of their children and want to keep friends and family up to date, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just worth taking a moment to think about how much information you’re actually giving away.
“Something as simple as a photo from the school run could potentially show the school, your location or details about your child’s routine without you even realising it.
“A child’s school uniform, school sign, street name, house number, club logo or even a familiar landmark could reveal where they spend their time. Before posting, look beyond the child and check what else is visible in the frame.
“You don’t have to stop sharing photos of your children. Just think about who can see them and whether you need to include all the details.”
2.Your identify could be up for grabs
More than 220,000 fraud-risk cases were recorded in the UK during the first half of 2026, with identity fraud accounting for almost six in ten cases, according to fraud prevention service Cifas.
Social media pages and accounts host a gold mine of personal information for criminals such as names, date of birth, home location, places of work, and even the details of our family and friends.
If criminals gain access to this information, you can become susceptible to identity theft, as the fraudsters can use your personal details to impersonate you and gain access into your accounts, or even create new fraudulent accounts in your name. In some cases, they may even manipulate your family and friends into sharing their data through identity theft.
John Pepper advises: “People often don’t realise just how much personal information they’re giving away online. When you put details about your life together, such as where you live, where you work, your family and the things you regularly do, you can end up giving cybercriminals a pretty detailed picture of who you are. AI is making this even more concerning, as criminals can now use those details to create convincing impersonations, fake documents and targeted scams. The less personal information you have publicly available, the harder you make it for someone to build that picture. It’s worth taking a step back and thinking about what your digital footprint says about you, and who might be able to use that information.”
3.A harmless message could become a financial scam
Social engineering often involves attackers creating fraudulent social media profiles and using these to impersonate a trusted or legitimate person or organisation. Through this, they can psychologically manipulate victims into sharing information or clicking on links that are unsafe and contain malware or scams. If scammers can establish a sense of trust, they can then gain access to personal information, or even cause significant financial losses and personal data breaches.
Pepper states: “People should be particularly cautious when receiving unexpected messages or requests online, even if they appear to come from someone they know.
“If someone asks for money, personal information or access to an account, verify their identity through a separate and trusted channel before taking action. A quick phone call or direct conversation could prevent a much more serious problem.”
4.Your face and voice can be weaponised by scammers
Scammers need just three seconds of audio to clone a person’s voice, and with so many videos available on social media, it is becoming even easier for criminals to generate voice clones. Similarly, the wide array of selfies on social media has fuelled AI- powered scams. From just a single image of your face, fraudsters can use AI to create a full photo, complete with a natural looking background and other aspects that appear authentic.
“AI is a really useful technology and there are lots of positive ways it can be used, but like any technology, it can also be misused.
“Voice cloning and AI-generated images are becoming more convincing, so it’s worth being a little more mindful about how much of your voice, face and personal information you make publicly available.
“That doesn’t mean you should stop sharing photos or videos altogether. It’s more about being sensible about what you share and staying alert to anything that feels unusual. If someone suddenly asks you for money or sensitive information, for example, take a moment to check that they are who they say they are before acting.”
5.Your digital footprint can follow you
What you share, like and comment on online can all contribute to your digital footprint, and in some cases, it can come back to bite you. Not only are there risks in sharing inappropriate posts, or negative comments, there are also risks associated with interacting with or sharing fake news which circulates rapidly on social media, spreading much quicker than real news.
“Social media is a great way to share your opinions and keep up with what’s going on, but the big difference now is that so much of what we do online can be found, shared and remembered.
“When a lot of us were growing up, you could make a silly comment, have an embarrassing moment or change your mind about something and it would eventually be forgotten. Today, things can be posted online in seconds and potentially stay there for years.
“That doesn’t mean you should be afraid to post, but it’s worth taking a moment to think about what you’re putting your name to.”
Advice on how to stay safe when sharing on social media
1.Lock Down your Privacy Settings
Be sure to control who can see your posts and personal information; this may mean switching your profile from public to private. You can then ensure that those following you are trusted and legitimate, and make sure that they are the only ones who can see your content.
2.Be Mindful of What You Share:
Be mindful of posting personal details, especially those that could be linked to account security questions or reveal your location or that of your family and friends. This can help decrease your chances of falling victim to hacking or identity theft, as you limit the information available to fraudsters.
3.Use Strong Passwords and Multifactor Authentication:
Sensitive information such as financial information, passwords, or other sensitive details should never be shared on social media. Use a strong, unique password for every important account and avoid passwords based on information that could be discovered through your social media profiles, such as birthdays, children’s names or pet names.Activating multi factor authentication takes minutes to do and can increase your account security.
4.Be Cautious About Clicking on Links and Unexpected Messages:
Think carefully before clicking links sent through social media, particularly if they create a sense of urgency or ask you to provide personal or financial information. Criminals may use social engineering techniques to make messages appear to come from legitimate businesses, friends or family members. If a message seems unusual, contact the person or organisation directly using a trusted method rather than replying to the original message.
5.Monitor Your Social Media Accounts for Suspicious Activity:
Regularly check your social media accounts for unusual logins, unfamiliar messages, unexpected password changes or activity you do not recognise. If you encounter suspicious activity on social media, report it to the platform and take steps to secure your account, including changing your password and checking your multi-factor authentication settings.
Article commissioned by Managed247
