In today’s day and age people may find it difficult to keep their information private; especially with the internet being so readily available and widespread. When making a yearbook, just like how you want to keep your own personal information private, it is important to search for a yearbook company with a privacy policy that meets your needs and keeps your students and staff as safe as possible. Some questions to consider when looking into the privacy options you have in regards to yearbook companies can be: how can I be sure that my credit card information will not be released? This one is important, does the company use data encryption resources to protect your card from being taken by hackers? For anyone that has ever got their credit card numbers stolen this process can be a really daunting and frustrating process. If the yearbook company you choose has good encryption methods then you can feel at ease when ordering your books. Just like any social media account or website you may be subscribed to, your information is being gathered. Some of the information gathered are things like your emails and passwords, or it could be more personal information like your social security card. When selecting a yearbook company it is crucial to find out how they gather their information and what they do with it. Do they sell information gathered to research marketing or is it sitting in cyberspace limbo where others can look at it and have access to it? Choosing a yearbook company that gathers and keeps your information confidential can make your experience with yearbook making run a lot smoother.
Another major safety and privacy concern comes from the pictures that are placed into yearbooks. In making yearbooks for elementary, middle, or high school students most of these children and teens are under the age of 18. Keeping their identities and access to their photos is an important safety concern for parents and teachers alike. Choosing a company that has safety precautions in place in order for you to feel at ease uploading photos along with names is a key issue. In addition to keeping the identities of these students safe, it is important to have parents/guardians sign waivers in the beginning of the school year that either allow or deny their children to have their photos taken/appear in the yearbook. Keeping a “do not photograph” list is important in making a yearbook especially when considering the privacy aspect of it. The yearbook advisor should carefully comb through the pictures selected for the yearbook to make sure the children on the do not photograph list do not appear anywhere in the book. Choosing a yearbook company that helps this process become smooth and allows your school not to become involved in any legal trouble is vital.