The back to school ritual for parents includes filling out forms for their children:  the school directory, sports teams, Scouts and other school activities. BBB has these tips to keep your child’s personal information safe.

• Safeguard your child’s Social Security number. Don’t carry your child’s Social Security card with you and don’t give out their number unless absolutely necessary. If someone wants your child’s Social Security number, ask why and find out how they will protect it.
• Limit what kids share online. Teach kids not to post their name, address or full date of birth on social media. Back to school means that your kids will be meeting new kids and making new friends on social media sites likeSnapchat. Discuss online safety with your kids and tell them to use care in giving out personal information online.
• Use strong passwords on smartphones, tablets or laptops. Teach the importance of changing passwords – and not sharing them. This is especially important for college students in a dorm or other shared living.
• Know your rights under FERPA. The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student records. FERPA requires schools to notify parents and guardians about their school directory policy. It also gives you the right to opt out of the release of directory information to third parties.
• Get familiar with GPS services on mobile phones.Y ou can use GPS to track where your child is, but others can, too. Tell your kids to limit the use of GPS, or location based apps such as Tinder, so they are not broadcasting their location to strangers.

For more information about children’s privacy, please visit www.bbb.org.