Sarnia Girls’ Soccer Club modernizes photo and privacy practices for the digital age

Club says evolving privacy expectations are creating new conversations around photos, video, and minors in community sports.

The Sarnia Girls’ Soccer Club says it is updating and clarifying its approach to photography and video involving players as youth sports organizations adapt to the realities of the digital age.

Across Canada and beyond, youth organizations have increasingly faced new questions around how children’s images are captured, stored, and shared online as smartphones and social media become part of everyday life. Privacy experts and sports organizations have noted that balancing family memories, team culture, and children’s privacy expectations has become more complex in recent years.

In a statement provided to The Journal, the club said the growing presence of smartphones, social media, and digital sharing has created new challenges for organizations involving children, particularly when it comes to balancing privacy expectations with families wanting to capture memories of their children’s sports experiences.

The organization said it already includes a photography and video consent option during online registration through its PowerUp registration platform, allowing parents and guardians to opt in or decline permission for images involving their children.

Following internal discussions, the board says it has now agreed to further discourage parents from taking photos or videos involving gameplay that includes children beyond their own family members unless clear consent is understood. Coaches will also be encouraged to make announcements before team photos so families who do not wish to participate can opt out.

“With regard to the current state of the world, the digital age and online landscape we find ourselves engaging in daily, we do feel that we, as a Club — and other organizations that concern themselves with youth members — do need to be part of the conversation when it comes to privacy concerns and storage of any digital images, likeness, and data pertaining to minors,” the board wrote.

According to the club, the local discussions were sparked after a parent volunteer had been taking photos and short videos during practices for a private team Facebook group intended for families. The individual later provided a written statement saying they stopped taking photos once concerns were raised and agreed not to continue sharing images.

The board says the experience prompted conversations about how community sports organizations can continue fostering team culture and family involvement while adapting to evolving concerns surrounding minors and online content.

The club said an internal review involving coaches, parents, the club president, and leadership was conducted and concluded the situation did not amount to a formal policy breach, though it highlighted areas where communication and procedures could be improved as expectations around privacy continue to evolve.

The organization also emphasized that all official coaches, referees, and volunteers are required to complete vulnerable sector checks through local police before beginning their roles with the club.

The club says it remains committed to Ontario Soccer and Canada Soccer safe sport standards, including policies related to independent complaint management, concussion safety, background screening, and mandatory education.

The issue is not unique to Sarnia. Youth sports organizations across Canada have increasingly introduced stricter photography and social media policies in recent years. Some organizations have warned that once images are posted online, even in private groups, they can be copied, re-shared, altered, or distributed beyond their original audience.

Founded more than 50 years ago, the club says the experience has reinforced the importance of communication, transparency, and adapting policies to modern realities as community sports organizations navigate how children’s images are captured and shared online.