Posting learners’ photos, videos, or personal information without consent risks breaking the law, yet many teachers and schools still do it. Internet PhotoIn many schools, teachers and administrators are increasingly using smartphones to record learners during lessons, dances, games, and other daily activities—then sharing these videos and photos on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Some do it to celebrate school achievements, show “funny classroom moments,” or build the school’s online presence.Others create short viral videos hoping to gain likes, followers, or even small sponsorships. While the intention may sometimes be innocent, this practice has raised serious worries among parents and child protection experts. Some argue that turning learners into unpaid content creators without proper permission crosses an important line.Tom Matovu, a former teacher turned content creator commonly known by his username Mat Tee, says he has observed a growing trend on social media, especially on TikTok, where teachers and school-run accounts share content featuring children. “I am not sure whether schools or these teachers obtained consent from the parents. If they did not, they should stop posting the children,” he said.He argues that such content uses the faces, voices, and videos of minors for the benefit of schools, often as promotional material or to attract viewership that can later be monetised.Matovu adds that some of the content involving children is too explicit to appear on school platforms or be shared by teachers. He says schools should first seek permission from parents before posting such material and ensure there is a clear benefit to the children. He compares the situation to earlier times when talented children, especially in sports like football, were supported with opportunities such as free education.Derrick Lwanga, a parent, traced the growing problem back to schools initially posting children’s academic results publicly, a practice that has since escalated to sharing videos of learners on TikTok and other social media platforms without parental consent.Lwanga warned that the information shared in these videos and photos could be exploited by malicious individuals.He drew a link to the recent school attack in Ggaba, pointing out that perpetrators could easily use details such as school uniforms, locations, routines, and faces visible in the clips to plan harm against children. Lwanga also highlighted a painful reality within families.In some homes, one parent deliberately chooses not to disclose the child’s school to the other spouse or certain family members for safety or personal reasons.Yet, schools and teachers are now openly posting images and videos that reveal exactly where the child studies, effectively undermining those protective measures.Hellen Adiya, a concerned parent, has criticised teachers and schools for frequently posting videos of learners online, describing the practice as “very bad and dangerous”. Adiya, who says she has never shared images or videos of her own child on social media, expressed disappointment that schools continue to do so without considering the serious risks involved. She warns that such posts expose children to strangers and potential harm. The parent says a seemingly innocent video of a child in a school uniform can easily reveal the school’s name, location, or daily routines, giving bad actors enough information to identify and target the child.Adiya further highlighted the risks of cyberbullying and mockery that often follow when children’s videos go viral. Once posted online, the clips can be remixed, ridiculed, or turned into harmful memes, leaving the child with no control over how they are portrayed or perceived.She pointed out that such cases are already happening on TikTok in Uganda, where innocent videos of children have triggered waves of online abuse. A recent example involved the child of media personality and vlogger Shamim Mayanja, who faced harsh cyberbullying after appearing in a widely shared video.This pattern, the parents argue, shows how a single post by a school or teacher can expose a child to public scrutiny and emotional harm that can last long after the video is forgotten.Akram Sserugo, another parent, expressed deep frustration over the issue, noting that many parents only discover that videos or photos of their children are trending on social media after they have already gone viral. He criticised schools for failing to seek parental consent before posting such content.Sserugo argued that schools should focus on their core responsibility of teaching and nurturing children rather than engaging in social media posting, which he believes is often driven by ulterior motives such as seeking popularity or promoting the institution.Alex Kibira, another concerned parent, has raised an alarm over the actual content of many videos being shared by schools and teachers, arguing that some material should never be made public in the first place. “In several widely circulated clips, young learners are seen performing explicit or sexually suggestive dances, moves that mimic adult routines and have become an increasingly common trend on school social media pages,” Kibira says.“Other videos show teachers prompting children to answer deeply personal questions, such as what their parents do or what is said at home, before broadcasting the innocent but revealing responses to the public.”A review by URN of hundreds of such videos and photographs posted on official school pages and individual teachers’ accounts reveals a troubling pattern: from seemingly harmless classroom moments to content that crosses into inappropriate territory, often without any regard for the long-term impact on the children involved.However, not all parents and students view the practice negatively. Yusuf Mboona, a parent, acknowledged that some photos and videos shared by schools are not entirely harmful. He argued that they can help promote children’s talents and, in certain cases, open doors for the learners. Still, he cautioned that teachers must not cross the line into inappropriate or exploitative content.Lydia Nanyonga, a student at St John’s High School, offered a different perspective. She believes that posting videos and photos helps advertise the school while giving students a platform to showcase their talents, which can lead to new opportunities for them.Ministry Responds to Privacy ConcernsDr Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports, has expressed dismay over the continued practice of teachers and schools filming and posting videos of learners online, describing the trend as “awful.” Speaking on the matter, Dr Turyagyenda questioned why teachers would expose children in this manner despite repeated warnings from the ministry.“It is bad to film learners and post them,” she said. “It is good that we have written notices and circulars to schools on this matter. I am wondering why one should do this.” She added that while many teachers and school administrators may be acting out of ignorance, they risk facing serious legal consequences. “As time goes on, some teachers and schools will find themselves in hot soup because of these posts,” Dr Turyagyenda warned.The remarks come against the backdrop of a recent circular issued by the Ministry of Education and Sports on the protection of learners’ privacy. The directive explicitly cautions schools against publicly displaying individual learners’ examination results or their photographs, in line with the Data Protection and Privacy Act. Despite the circular, the practice of sharing videos and images of children without proper safeguards persists in some institutions, prompting renewed concern from the ministry.Privacy of minors in the digital age is a growing concern. In neighboring Kenya, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has taken action against schools, including Friends School Keveye Girls High School, after a staff member recorded and stored a video of a student being disciplined by having her mobile phone destroyed, an item banned under school rules.The video was recorded on school premises and shared internally for administrative use. However, the regulator found that the school failed to obtain informed consent from the parent or guardian. It ruled that recording and storing the footage violated the student’s privacy and dignity.In contrast, Uganda has not yet recorded a widely publicized enforcement action against a school over a similar incident, even as Kenya continues to issue penalties, with fines ranging from KSh 500,000 (14.4 Ugandan Shillings) to over KSh 4.5 million (129.8 Uganda shillings).-URNThe post From Classroom to Content: Schools, Teachers On The Spot Over Social Media Usage Amid Rising Privacy Concerns appeared first on Business Focus.