When working in education it is more important than ever to understand how you should be keeping yourself safe online.
The way we communicate is constantly evolving and the rise of social media has widened our social circle, so we are now communicating with friends, friends of friends and even strangers with just one click.
Making your profile private
Your online profile is a window into your personal life, and unless this is set to private, anyone can see your personal photos, view your location and see your place of work. That’s why it’s so important to keep personal details to a minimum on your profile, ensure your profile is set to private and you think about what is being shared. It’s important that you have complete control over what people can see, especially when working in the education sector and with children.
It isn’t uncommon for pupils to search your name online and you would never want your professionalism to be called into question. Perhaps you could consider using a variation of your name on your social media profile or even make your profile picture only visible to friends and connections. Don’t forget that whilst you cannot control what other people post, you can remove yourself from tagged photos you may deem unprofessional.
Check your connections
You should never connect with students, parents of your students or ex-students on any social media platform. This is for your own protection, to stop allegations of inappropriate contact, or misinterpretation of anything you have posted.
Remember you’re a professional individual responsible for children and if you have any doubts about what you are about to post online, it’s simple – it’s best not to post it.
Click here for more information about Keeping Children Safe in education.
In addition to keeping yourself safe online, you can also click here to read our professional guidelines.
To discuss keeping yourself safe online in more detail with our team, don’t hesitate to give the team a call on 01277 245 840 or click here to get in touch.
