Protecting Our Players Online: Why Your Club Needs a Real Social Media Policy

I’ll be the first to admit it — I have not always been so cautious about what I posted online.

When I first moved from the United States to Melbourne, social media became my way of staying connected. It was how I shared my new life with family and friends back home.Every milestone, every celebration, every small victory — it went online so the people who mattered to me could be part of it, even from across the world.

It felt right. It felt harmless. It felt like a lifeline.

When my son was born, it was natural to keep sharing. His first steps, his early games, his proud moments on the court — they were part of the story I wanted to tell. But as he has grown up, something shifted.

Today, my son is a young athlete who plays multiple sports competitively.

I spend my weekends like so many other parents — on the sidelines, watching him and his teammates train, compete, win, lose, and grow.

He no longer wants those moments online. Not the funny photos. Not the baby memories. Not even the highlights. He wants control over his own story — and he deserves that.

That realisation made me stop and truly reflect.

As adults, parents, and clubs, we often frame sharing as celebrating. We think we are building a community. We think we are showing pride. But if we are not careful, we are shaping young people’s digital footprint long before they understand what it means — and in ways they may not choose for themselves.

This conversation is not just emotional. It is legal.

Here in Australia, filming minors without consent is not a casual matter. There are real legal protections in place, especially for children involved in family law cases, custody disputes, or subject to intervention orders. Posting images or footage of a child without proper consent is not just a bad choice — in some cases, it is a breach of law that can have serious consequences.

These are not rare exceptions. This is the world we live in now.

And to be clear, I am not perfect. I am still in the process of removing old images, sorting through years of shared memories. It is not quick . It is not easy . It is decades of content built during a different time, with a different understanding. But that does not excuse us from doing better now.

Today’s social media environment is not what it was when many of us first started posting. Platforms like Snapchat rely on trust, not technology. If no one takes screenshots, the moment fades. But if someone does — that image or video lives beyond your control.

This matters deeply for players building serious athletic pathways. There are kids today working toward Division 1 college scholarships, national squads, and professional leagues. Scouts and recruiters now look not just at statistics, but at character, conduct, and the digital trail players leave behind.

A single careless post, capturing a bad moment, a lapse in judgment, or poor sportsmanship, can follow a player far longer than the memory of the game itself. But this is not only about protecting opportunity, these risks are not limited to scouts, recruiters, or universities.

Sometimes, the people who find and share these moments are other young people — classmates, teammates, and peers. A clumsy moment on court, a missed shot, or an awkward photo can quickly be circulated and used in ways no parent intended. While not every image becomes a problem, we need to recognise that by posting publicly, we sometimes provide fodder for teasing, exclusion, or bullying without meaning to. It's not about assuming the worst. It is about thinking ahead. Protecting players' images means protecting their dignity — both now and in the future.

Even if you are filming your own child, it is worth asking, who else is caught in the frame?

What about the player struggling through a tough game? What about the opposition player learning a new skill? What about the teammate having a hard day?

We have to remember: not every court is a stage. Not every game deserves a highlight reel. And not every player — or parent — has consented to a public story being told.

There is a place for showcasing achievement. As players grow, compete at elite levels, and understand the risks, there is room for highlights shared with consent and care. But a child's domestic D Grade game, played by young athletes who are learning, making mistakes, and finding their confidence, should not live in perpetuity on someone else's feed.

Community sport must remain a safe place, a place where mistakes are part of the journey, not permanent markers of failure.

When we post thoughtlessly, we shift the environment from one of learning to one of constant performance. And that is not what junior sport should be about.

This is why clubs must take social media seriously. Not out of fear. But out of responsibility.

At VK Social Media Solutions, this work is personal to me. I understand the instinct to share. I have lived it. I have built a digital history. And now, I am working to correct it, one post at a time. Because our players deserve a chance to grow up without the weight of our digital decisions defining them.

If your club has been thinking about whether your current policies are enough, or if you know they are not, now is the time to act. Not because social media is bad. Because using it well, thoughtfully, legally, and respectfully matters.

If you would like help building a clear, practical social media framework for your club, I would be honoured to support you.

Getting this right matters. And the players we support today deserve nothing less.

x Ness