UAE school photo ban: Parents and educators back children’s privacy safeguards

Dubai: Under UAE privacy laws, parents caught photographing or filming children on school premises without consent could face fines of up to Dh500,000 if authorities are notified and the act is deemed an offence. This clarification follows schools in Dubai and Sharjah issuing circulars discouraging parents and visitors from capturing or sharing images of students on campus without appropriate permission.

While photographs may help families cherish memories of school events, educators emphasize the importance of children's privacy and dignity, particularly as images could be disseminated beyond the initial audience.

Nevita Pandya MBE, CEO and Principal of GEMS International School – Dubai Hills, stresses that clear guidelines enable children to engage fully in school life without the pressure of having their images captured or shared without consent. She explains, "Children should be able to participate fully in school life without their images being captured or circulated without appropriate permission."

She adds that a photograph can inadvertently reveal a child's school, location, or routine. Clear guidelines establish children's privacy and dignity as paramount, ahead of an adult's desire to record or share a moment.

Dr Ghadeer Abu-Shamat, Principal of Al Khaleej International School, asserts that children's images should be treated with the same care as other personal information. "When sharing school photographs, it is essential to consider the potential consequences. Even within familiar WhatsApp groups, there is a risk that images can be saved, forwarded, or shared beyond the intended audience," Pandya warns.

She advises parents to carefully consider whose children are visible in the image, whether the consent covers such use, and if the image reveals any personal information.

Once shared, particularly online, controlling access and usage can become challenging. Dr Abu-Shamat highlights the importance of mindfulness in protecting children's safety, dignity, and privacy. "Knowing that photographs of your child are not circulated without your knowledge provides families with greater peace of mind, allowing them to maintain control over their child's digital footprint and minimize the risk of unwanted exposure or misuse of the images."

Simon Jodrell, Principal of Jebel Ali School in Dubai, notes that clear guidance can assist parents in sharing photographs responsibly, even when their intentions are well-meaning. Parents like Suad Saleh, whose child attends GEMS International School, support the guidelines but believe the rules should encourage responsible behaviour rather than outright prohibition of photographing or sharing images.

Saleh suggests that the guidelines should focus on educating parents about responsible sharing, emphasizing the importance of considering who will view the images and respecting their children's privacy rights.