Today students and staff at South Slope/BCSD listened to some very thought provoking presentations by social media expert, Jesse Miller. He spoke to our intermediate students about how they communicate and how they share their stories. Many of our students are using social media like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and more, despite the fact you must state that you are at least 13 years of age in order to get an account.
Here are some things Jesse Miller asked us to think about:
“Social media is the deep end of the internet pool, and young kids are still learning how to swim.
Would you pay $1 a day to use social media like Instagram or Snapchat?
When you lie about your age to get an account, you are compromising your character.
Would you feel comfortable if your parents, your teachers, your principal or the police saw what you are posting?
Make sure your story online is something you’re proud of.
The digital world allows us to learn without boundaries, but we need to be thoughtful and safe. Ask for help if you need it.
Privacy setting don’t work that well. How can we make things safer?
Are you connecting to have the world at your fingertips? or
Are you connecting to have the world look at you?
Connect with those you care for and learn from respected professionals.”
In the afternoon, I spoke to one class about what they learned from the presentation and what they might do differently. Students shared a variety of ideas including shutting down their account, changing their privacy settings or being more thoughtful about what they post. Others wondered if anyone had been “creeping” their account and noticed that social media can be both good and bad.
If you would like to learn more about Jesse Miller, please visit his web site: www.mediatedreality.com