In a recently broadcast episode of Law & Order: UK, a teen accused a man of a crime—it appeared he was a repetitive offender. As she sat in the witness box, the defense attorney challenged her. ”Five minutes minutes after this allegedly happened, you posted it on Facebook. Why did you not call the police?”
The girl answered that she wanted to warn her friends, that the man had already committed crimes against teen girls.
The attorney was planting the seed of doubt. After all, if you were in danger, wouldn’t you call the police first? Logical, right? But to a teen nowadays, it seems like a knee-jerk reaction to immediately go to Facebook. Yes, this example is fiction, but it is not far-fetched.
Social media has become the front line for communications among young people—and now, a lot of adults. In 2009, there were five million Facebook users under age 17, and 20% of all Facebook accounts were owned by high-school age children.
Social media is also a hotbed for bullying, harassment, and inappropriate communication. Cases have hit the national news about students who created false profiles of their principals, painting them as unsavory characters for the schools, students brutally harassing other students (several have resulted in the victims' suicides), and teachers getting in hot water over posts from their private lives.
This 21st century form of communication is pervasive and here to stay. Your school should have social media policies in place for students and for faculty and staff. Here are some things you need to consider when developing your policies (adapted from hrmorning.com).
- Define your school's mission, culture, and philosophy to social media.
- Emphasize honesty and respect.
- Define your school's privacy policies.
- Include a disclaimer.
- Disclose how your school plans on monitoring social media sites, and what disciplinary actions will take place if they are in violation of the school's policy.
- For staff, differentiate between an employee's personal social media accounts and their professional accounts and how they may be used for posts.
- Integrate the policy with other school policies such as discrimination, ethics, code of conduct, etc.
The Nicolson Law Group urges schools to educate students on proper Internet use, including the social ramifications and legal issues. Schools also need to make students and parents aware of social media policy, as well as the consequences. It is also good practice to have students and parents sign an acknowledgement that they have read the policy.
One school that includes technology misuse as part of its broader harassment policy uses the following language:
The use of a computer or other forms of electronic or communicative devices, whether on or off campus, to direct communications toward another individual(s) that constitutes any of the above mentioned forms of harassment. Conduct facilitated by a teacher or other adult and used within the classroom or teaching environment is the exception to this policy. The key distinction between words spoken inside and outside the classroom is that language explored in the classroom is regarded in quotes and understood not to be our own. In class we seek thoughtful inquiry and choose to labor in the difficulties, complexities, and possibilities of words, phrases, and ideas.
Schools can now carry specific Internet Activity Insurance that will help financially protect schools and their directors and officers in the event of a lawsuit. ISM Insurance offers this option as part of its Nonprofit Directors & Officers including EPLI coverage. You can download an information sheet that here.
Additional ISM resources of interest
ISM Recorded Webinar Acceptable Technology Use Policies
ISM Podcast Social Media Policies for Private-Independent Schools
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 3 No. 2 Fight Bullying With an Acceptable Use Policy
ISM Private School News Costs, Dangers, and Quagmires
Additional Resources for ISM Consortium Gold Members
Ideas & Perspectives Vol. 35 No. 1 Faculty and Staff Use of Social Media: Sample Policy
