LEADING READING

Bookmark and Share

Safer social networking

The open nature of the Internet and social networking means that everyone, including senior leaders, should take active steps to protect themselves and their school or college by taking some simple precautions. ASCL has produced a guidance paper: Social Networking and Social Media – Guidance for Members, which is available on the ASCL website: www.ascl.org.uk/social-media-guidance

The following information offers some thoughts as to what to do to safeguard yourself as well as other staff, and to avoid compromising your professional position; for further advice, read the full guidance paper. In addition to this, your school or college should have ‘use of IT policies', including the use of social media. Make sure you know how it affects you.

Top ten tips


1 Think before you post...

  • anything about your institution, staff, pupils or parents 
  • anything about you (in particular an image that directly or indirectly lowers your reputation or that of your institution)

2 Don’t make social network friends with your pupils (including past pupils) or parents.

3 Use privacy settings on your account.

4 Be careful where you post.

5 Don’t share compromising material.

6 Always use strong passwords and log out when you leave your account.

7 Check what others post about you.

8 Use ‘untag’ or ask for unsuitable material about you to be taken down.

9 Send emails from institutional accounts in professional language and do not send emails that you would not be happy for your employer or colleagues to read.

10 If you are the victim of harassment online then…

  • contact the service provider first to see how they could help
  • if this does not solve the issue, ask your employer if they can take action on your behalf
  • if the harassment is criminal, approach the police

For further information please also see the following Leader magazine articles:

School case studies:

www.leadermagazine.co.uk/ articles/digital_dangers

Anti-social media:

www.leadermagazine.co.uk/ articles/antisocial_media

LEADING READING