Aibu to not have any interaction at all via social media

[yarncakes]

Daft question really as it is my choice but it's getting to the point where everyone asks me why haven't I got Facebook or my ds school says if I need to access any information I need to join their Facebook page, it took them ages to send me all the info to my email after explaining I don't have Facebook and they asked If I can sign up to it! Answer is NO.
In all honesty I don't want any social media account of any kind, I don't read the news anymore, all I do is go on Mumsnet, go on WhatsApp every now and then and watch YouTube videos for recipes and tutorials.
I left Facebook many, many years ago now as I joined it when I was about 15 if I remember right! Was sick of being on there and getting addicted instead of spending time with my ds and doing my crafty bits. I gave all my family and friends my contact number before I deleted it permanently, but not one of them have bothered to contact me.
I am worried our future or any accessible information is all going to be on Facebook.

Perfectly reasonable. Your child’s school can’t force you to subscribe to social media or a particular business in order to make key information accessible to you.

it's weird that the school is insisting on this method of communication though.

we get emails, texts & have a specific app thing.

MN is the social internet and is what much of the excitement and hope for the internet was originally about - connecting people and all that.

MN connects me with strangers I will never know and who may not be who they claim to be at all. FB keeps me in touch with my actual friends and acquaintances from all around the world.

YANBU to only want to use certain social media (yes mumsnet is social media), YABU to then be annoyed you can't access all the info you want /need.

There was a case in lockdown 1 in our school (different class), the parenr didn't want to be in a WhatsApp group, but then was annoyed that on top of the zooms the teacher arranged, the class parents had been scheduling zooms /video chats and sharing home learning ideas between each other. The school didn't really know what to say, if you chose to not join in, then you can't stop others from using an easy, quick method of communication.

(DH has decided to stop using WhatsApp but at least he's using signal to give me a way to contact him when I've got WiFi but not phone signal- normal at my work)

Refusing to use Whatsapp for example is roughly the equivalent of refusing to use texts 20 years ago. Do what you want but don't expect exclusive communication.

I only ever use Whatsapp with my teenage children. 6 months ago, I didn't have a phone that could run it. It's only essential if people you know exclusively use it! Which is similar to the OP's school info problem. The onus should be on the school to communicate via a number of methods to ensure that information is getting through to parents. However, on the basis that OP knows that they don't do this, I agree with others that she should just set up a basic FB account to access school (and possibly other local info - also great for getting help when self isolation) pages only.

Isn’t MN social media?

The younger crowd are not on Facebook. They’re on tiktock so you don’t have to worry about everything being on Facebook as it’s phase out as us older people fade out over time too.

Instagram is use by next generation up from tiktok users (which I’m imagining why Facebook bought them).

Many business or organisation (including schools) should count for their entire communication to be on Facebook as accounts get hacked, taken over and sometimes there can also be issues that shut down a page or admins lose access. Businesses and other organisations are all told to have secondary and even third form of contact and communication with members. Advise your child’s school if this. Most do text communications and links to their website for announcements

If you’re still having problems with the school, you should raise it with the head teacher

It’s up to you whether you want to use Facebook etc, but both YouTube and WhatsApp are social media platforms so saying you don’t use social media isn’t really true. It just depends on how you use them. Same with Facebook and Insta etc - some people post stuff every day, others just use them to look at content from their kids school etc.

Many business or organisation (including schools) should count for their entire communication to be on Facebook as accounts get hacked, taken over and sometimes there can also be issues that shut down a page or admins lose access. Businesses and other organisations are all told to have secondary and even third form of contact and communication with members. Advise your child’s school if this.

Yes that's why I find it weird. It's not that secure.

I agree you are perfectly entitled not to use social media, however the school is also entitled to use social media. Im not sure why people think that this is the schools problem to solve.

The school is publishing information in a format you have access to but choose not to use.

I have a friend who refuses to use social media (which is fair enough) but then insists that other people change the way they communicate based on this. I agree with the childfree wedding comparison

Why is WhatsApp counted as social media? I would think of it as a communication tool - more as a much improved version of texting.

I agree WhatsApp is just phone numbers instead of texting.

Unless I'm missing something

I'm not sure why people are putting the onus on schools, I'm sure things like term times are available else where, letters still sent and social media is used more for things like dont forget red nose day, quicker updates about snow days etc

technically because it allows you to share ideas, photos, info etc

My mental health improved massively when I stopped using fb and the like. School do use fb to relay info, but they also email it to parents as well, thankfully they realise not all parents use social media

social media is used more for things like dont forget red nose day, quicker updates about snow days etc

Because stuff like this isn’t optional and needs to be communicated to everyone.

** Sorry that was in response to

Why is WhatsApp counted as social media?

social media is considered a platform to share stories & photos to groups.

You could argue the other way & it's original intention wasn't really about social media but privacy however the fact fb own it now mean it will become more social media ish hence the adverts.

@AStudyinPink

But if its only reminders then it is. I'm sure (as in my day) letters are put in bags, children told. The additional reminder isn't compulsory, schools weren't ringing round to tell you before social media.

social media is used more for things like dont forget red nose day, quicker updates about snow days etc

We always get this info by text or a whatsapp from a class rep. All covid you can't come to school comms are by text. I just assumed that's the fastest form as who is checking fb when trying to get dc to school, get ready for work etc. 😆

I deleted my Facebook account as they were continually showing illegal and scam adverts - remember Martin Lewis had to spend a lot of money taking them to court to stop them publishing scam adverts.

Schools should not be engaging with a platform that’s repeatedly shown zero interest in or respect for UK law.

I'm sure (as in my day) letters are put in bags, children told. The additional reminder isn't compulsory, schools weren't ringing round to tell you before social media.

I don’t expect them to ring round now. Have a newsletter, email it out. No need for parents to be on social media to be treated the same as everyone else.

I wish I could give up social media, it is an absolute time sink that brings me very very few actual benefits.

Totally inappropriate for a school to use FB as a main means of communication with parents and I would refuse for that reason alone!

@AStudyinPink

Surely the schools have to make sure the essential information is published else where, but additional information can be given however the schools deems fit? If you have opted out of the form of additional communication then that's your right but you can dictate that nothing else is published on social media without it being a text first

The information is acessible but you have chosen not to engage in the format.

Surely the schools have to make sure the essential information is published else where, but additional information can be given however the schools deems fit? If you have opted out of the form of additional communication then that's your right but you can dictate that nothing else is published on social media without it being a text first

I think a parent can make a perfectly reasonable case that they’re entitled to be treated the same as other parents without being forced onto social media. If the reminders are necessary everyone should have them.

@Wandavision

Well of course you can opt out of social media forums. I personally do not use my fb account although I still have one. But I do sometimes use the fb messenger as I'm linked to some far flung relatives/and some coworkers via it. I don't think it's unreasonable for you to not want to sign up to it. But I also don't think it's not that unreasonable for the school to state they have an active forum that's widely used/very easily accessible, and they update all their info on it? You could set up an account as private, no profile pic, and not add anyone beyond the school? Or yes they could send you an email/letter but the information may change within change very quickly during an emergency and you could be sitting thinking what's happening?

Sending an email is just as quick during an emergency.

@AStudyinPink

Surely the schools have to make sure the essential information is published else where, but additional information can be given however the schools deems fit? If you have opted out of the form of additional communication then that's your right but you can dictate that nothing else is published on social media without it being a text first

I think a parent can make a perfectly reasonable case that they’re entitled to be treated the same as other parents without being forced onto social media. If the reminders are necessary everyone should have them.

I agree. The school have a duty to keep parents informed. The school can't dictate who signs up to a third party provider like Facebook. For all they know, I could have been banned from FB for posting offensive articles.

The school have a duty to provide the info to non-FB users.