Processing of personal data of children in school, leisure and recreation
Data Protection Act and consent for the publication of pictures of children in school
It is important that everyone who works with children consider whether consent has been granted for each child before the publication of photos. Note that it may also be necessary for the child’s own consent for the publishing, even if the parent has previously approved. It is always possible to revoke consent for publication.
On a consent form, parents can agree to authorize the publication of photographs of the child, but different forms of publication must be separated, for example whether it is on the school website, social media or in newsletters.
It is normally acceptable to publish photos of open events by schools and associations, unless they show situations that can be sensitive. The same can be the case for classroom photos. It is the role of each school to assess what constitutes an open event on its behalf, but if the Data Protection Authority receives a complaint from an individual about such a photo release, the agency may reach a different conclusion than the school.
