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Can you spot the difference between these photos?

These tips could help protect your kids from online predators.
Australian Federal Police

The truth is, love it or hate it, the selfie is here to stay and it’s become an art form among the younger generations who post photos of themselves across a whole array of social media sites.

It doesn’t take a detective to see why this might be a dangerous idea – there is never any way to know what happens to a photo once it’s online. The safest way to protect that information from potential threats is to stop it getting out in the first place.

Knowing this, the Australian Federal Police posted on Facebook an intriguing ‘spot the difference’ photo – showing the difference between a dangerous selfie, and a safer one.

In the first photo the student is clearly identifiable – as is the school they go to from their uniform, their name and approximate age from their school books, and their location because of the iconic Parliament house in the background.

The first image shows details that could easily reveal the identity of the student.
The student’s age, name, and location can all be figured out from this photo. (Credit: Australian Federal Police)

The second photo the student has removed their school tie, turned so any iconic landmarks that may give away their location are not in the shot, and ditched anything that says their name. According to the AFP, these simple steps are valuable ways to protect safety online.

Without any identification, this picture is much safer.
According to Police, this photo is much safer. (Credit: Australian Federal Police)

AFP suggest just following these simple steps when taking a selfie could help protect young people from online predators.

The AFP are continuing their Think U Know campaign in an effort to educate young Australians about how to stay safer online.

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