Editorial
Take Care Before You Share:
What a child's photograph taught us about consent
Book two, Take Care Before You Share, starts with something small: a photo of Fizz, shared online without asking her first. By the next school day, it's caused a playground upset.
Nothing dramatic happens in the story. That's rather the point. The harm isn't a stranger or a scandal; it's a small, well-meant decision made by someone who never thought to ask.
That's digital safety and emotional resilience meeting in one book: understanding that a photo, a name, a location, all carry weight once they leave your hands, and learning to sit with the feelings that surface when something private becomes public without your say-so.
We didn't write this book with GDPR in mind. But the principle Fizz learns- ask before you share- is the same one that sits underneath every data protection policy many of you have built careers around. Consent isn't a form to sign. It's a question asked before the fact, not an apology offered after it. A young child grasps that instinctively, once someone points it out, in a way plenty of adults still don't. Adults, running organisations with far more at stake than a playground photo, sometimes need reminding of the same thing.
What we like about teaching this at five is that it isn't really about screens at all. It's about asking before you act on someone else's behalf, a habit that outlasts whichever platform Fizz happens to be using. Get that right early, and the digital footprint questions that follow become far easier.
Why we're featuring these books
We're pleased to have been chosen by Sam and Steve to support them in raising awareness of these creatively written and beautifully illustrated children's books across both our Channel and Buyer communities. We think it's important to help more technology leaders, parents, teachers and schools discover practical books that can start important conversations before problems exist.
More information and how to buy the books can be found at www.thedoguk.com
Steve Shepherd
Co-Author and Online Safety Specialist for D.O.G. books.
Working alongside Samantha Meghawry, he helps write the books and shape their safeguarding themes, drawing on three decades in policing, defence and digital resilience to turn complex online risks into clear, practical lessons for children and families.
Samantha Meghawry
Founder and Creative Director, Little Star Design Studio
Creator of D.O.G books
Drawing on seventeen years’ experience in design, education and creative learning, Samantha combines storytelling, emotional wellbeing and online safety to help young children navigate digital life with confidence.
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