As other parents reading this column may relate, these days are all about ensuring return to school in an orderly fashion, supplies and lunch boxes at the ready, and mostly minimizing chaos and surprises. 

Ireland's Data Protection Commission shared an important reminder to "#PauseBeforeYouPost" and a few tips to consider if, how and when to share pictures of your little ones' first day at school — or at any other point in their lives, really.

Children's privacy is a massive topic in and of itself, and one that invites many conversations, including how to reconcile the various rulebooks applicable in Europe — from the long-standing EU General Data Protection Regulation, to the newer Digital Services Act, to the upcoming regulation combatting online child sexual abuse materials.

Among upcoming developments to watch in the coming weeks is the European Data Protection Board's Article 65 dispute resolution decision concerning TikTok. The initial investigation by the Irish DPC looked at the company's personal data processing of registered users between the ages 13-17, as well as issues concerning TikTok's processing of personal data of children under 13. The dispute resolution will have to reconcile objections raised by DPAs on whether there had been an infringement of data protection by design and default with regard to age verification, and whether there had been an infringement of the principle of fairness with regard to certain design practices.

The upcoming IAPP Europe Data Protection Congress 2023 will feature a panel on these very issues. The program is updated regularly and seats go quickly so make sure you check it out.