If your camp offers a way for parents and their guests to send letters online, it might be time to pause and ask: who else has access to this information? While it may seem harmless—and even helpful—to have public-facing tools for families, these features can create real camp data privacy risks that every organization should take seriously.
We know camps operate on trust. You work hard to build that trust with parents, campers, staff, and your broader community. But even well-meaning decisions can unintentionally put campers and your organization at risk. And in a time when data privacy expectations are rising and digital tools are evolving fast, it’s essential for camps to stay ahead of potential vulnerabilities.
Let’s walk through the biggest concerns, real-world scenarios, and how you can shift to safer systems—without compromising the warm, connected experience you want to offer families.
The Hidden Risks of Messaging Tools
From Flickr to SmugMug to custom-built galleries, camps often share hundreds—sometimes thousands—of camper photos each season. Some even allow public access to email messaging services meant for parents to connect with their kids. These tools are often set up with good intentions: making it easy for families to stay involved, celebrate their camper’s experience, and build lasting memories.
But these tools can also become easy entry points for people who shouldn’t have access.
Here’s why it’s a concern:
- Open email systems: If your camp uses a messaging platform that doesn’t verify senders or require authentication, you’re offering a direct communication path to children—with no real oversight.
- Generalized Seasonal Password: Many camps use a single shared password—like “Summer2025!”—for parents or caregivers to access photos or send emails. While convenient, this approach makes it easy for that password to be shared beyond your community, weakening any sense of security. If the password leaks, your entire system is effectively public.
These aren’t hypothetical concerns. Bad actors can—and do—use open digital doors to gather information, impersonate parents, or make inappropriate contact. And in today’s connected world, it doesn’t take much technical skill to misuse access points like these.
Real Scenarios That Should Raise a Red Flag
Here are some examples that might sound familiar:
- A camp uses a tool where anyone can send emails to campers during a session—no login or parent verification required.
- A camp relies on legacy or homegrown systems for camper communication, with minimal oversight or privacy controls.
In each of these situations, camps don’t realize how easily their tools could be exploited—or how much personal data they were making available. But the takeaway is clear: if your camp’s digital tools are publicly accessible, your community’s information isn’t truly protected.
Balancing Connection with Protection
We get it: families love seeing what their campers are up to. And communication is a core part of the camp experience. But here’s the good news—you don’t have to sacrifice connection to build in better safety. It’s possible to deliver a high-quality, emotionally resonant experience and reduce camp data privacy risks at the same time.
The key is to shift from public access to permission-based access.
Here are a few starting points:
Avoid Open Email Systems
Many camps still use publicly accessible message portals. Replace these with parent-authenticated systems that track who is sending messages, when they’re sent, and whether the content aligns with your camp’s communication policy.
Build Internal Awareness
Sometimes, these public-facing tools exist simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it.” Educating your team—including seasonal staff—about digital privacy risks can help shift the culture toward more secure practices.
Why This Matters for More Than Just This Summer
Parents are increasingly aware of how their data—and their children’s data—is used and shared. If your camp is using public systems, it may only be a matter of time before someone flags a concern. By proactively improving your digital practices, you’re showing families that you take their trust seriously.
And it’s not just about perception. Camps that tighten up their systems reduce their exposure to liability, avoid PR issues, and position themselves as thoughtful, future-ready organizations.
Better data protection can also unlock operational wins. When your tools are integrated, secure, and organized, you can streamline staff workflows, improve reporting, and elevate your family experience—all while minimizing camp data privacy risks.
A Smarter System for a Safer Experience
More and more camps are discovering that secure, centralized systems like Campminder’s platform help them solve multiple problems at once.
For example:
- A camp that once used a public gallery now shares photos through a mobile app, with facial recognition that’s only available to verified parents.
- Another camp integrated its messaging tools with its camper database, so only guardians can send messages—and they’re logged and reviewed automatically.
- Camps can segment photo access by event, keeping personal data protected even for short-term sessions.
In each case, the camp didn’t lose any warmth or connection. In fact, the parent experience often improved—because they had easier, faster, and more beautiful ways to engage with their child’s journey.
Your Families Deserve Better Protection
You’re already creating incredible experiences for your campers. Let’s make sure your digital systems reflect that same care and intention. Privacy, trust, and security aren’t extras—they’re essentials.
Taking steps to reduce camp data privacy risks doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It just takes a shift in mindset, the right tools, and a partner who understands the camp world inside and out.