Class today reminded me of the talks we had in school as a kid. Essentially those talks boiled down to “What you put online is there forever.” Of course this is true. However, I appreciated the reminder that this will go for our students too, and this is two fold. One – things have not changed and the things that your students post can and will colour their futures. In high school we had several assemblies hosted by a whitehat hacker who described several times that minors were put in danger online and advised on how to keep yourself safe. More and more, people are using social media as an investigation tool. Two – your students will try to find you online. It happens all the time and is best to be avoided. It is recommended that you turn all possible accounts onto private mode and deny any and all follow requests from students. Social media is a place that the line between professional and sociable is razor thin. Additionally, things considered normal by societal standards are considered (understandably) to be unprofessional if observed by students or parents. You can and should have a private life but it should be just that, private.
February 14, 2022
