Limiting who can access School & Nursery Facebook Pages

[JadeB99]

Hello, I am a parent to two young children and I also grew up online as a teenager. I truly believe that School & Nursery Facebook pages should be aware of who they are allowing to access their pages, as most if not all are open to the public. As parents we have a duty to safeguard our children. I truly believe Schools and Nursery should be limiting who can access their pages by asking questions, on who is following them and why.

If I was to join a Facebook group for bargains, I would be asked questions before I had access to their page and I believe Schools & Nurseries should have similar practices in place.

If you believe change needs to happen or you do agree with me it would be amazing to get your support. The link to my petition is below:

www.change.org/p/limit-who-can-access-school-nursery-facebook-pages-safeguard-our-children?recruiter=1061229927&recruited_by_id=5ae59870-6baa-11ea-a6e4-d362ac8e6be3&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink

You're using very inflammatory language. Schools are not 'exploiting' children.
You have an issue with parents sharing things online yet you're targeting the schools who have consent from said parents. It doesn't make sense.

In what way are schools not safeguarding children?

I am enjoying your feedback the most, your helping me bring this to light because exactly what are schools doing to safeguard children. In particular around social media, some have created two platforms- that is positive change and shows that schools do indeed have a responsibility to safeguard children online. I need your feedback and your opinion the most, because you disagree. Thats just as important, your helping build the foundations, to what is right, what do we share and how far does this go.

But you haven't answered my question.
What are the specific safeguarding issues? Just saying 'social media' isn't identifying a specific issue. Used with care it doesn't create a safeguarding issue.
You are making sweeping generalisations and assuming schools aren't taking this seriously when I think the opposite is true.

For transparency, I'm a governor at two schools and I work at university in an education faculty training teachers and other education professionals.

I completely agree with you, this can certainly come across as confusing. So my passion starts with "sharenting", Which you can find plenty go information and research online, because that work is in place and at the end of the day. That is entirely the responsibility of the parent. A parent decides who is on their Facebook page, whether they are private or not, what they choose to share. Charities like "Unicef" are working on these issues. This digital age is new and there's a lot to it now. I apologise for how I have expressed my view towards you, I understand you do not like the language used. I am simply at home responding to you as I've read it, I'm not taking time to think clearly, or express what I truly mean. But what you are doing is allowing me to think what is the issue here, is there anything I can do. 42 supporters is enough to tell me, I'm not alone. I do not have all the answers on how the change can be implemented but I do believe that both schools and nurseries have a responsibility to safeguard children they are sharing online. These are our digital footprints, we are making a conscious consent as adults, children are not.

I do believe that both schools and nurseries have a responsibility to safeguard children they are sharing online.

Yes, they know this. What makes you think they don't take this seriously? You're conflating two different issues here. Having a digital footprint isn't automatically a safeguarding issue.

My apologies I do not have the answers, but this highlights that I do need to do more research. This is the first time that I have ever taken any action towards any change in my life. The conversation began between myself and a headmaster and he didn't believe he had any responsibility to safeguard children, other than to receive parents consent. I just do not believe that that is enough. You must bear with me that this is the first draft. I am loving the way you are calling me out, asking me to support, research and reflect on my beliefs and ideas. That is truly important, this is a big issue and it is not something I can rush into. I need more people to share their own beliefs because I need them to strengthen what it is I am asking for. I am not going to be the person who can implement any change. But I would love to know that it can be done. Sharing my story here has shown me that their are schools who are woking harder, like having two platforms, that has given me the courage to explore within my local area.

My concern is the rise of AI. But adding that complicates the issue even further and is not even something I understand. But I have seen videos created by AI that are almost realistic, Children that have been shared from birth, if they had AI generated could you imagine how accurate they could be

The conversation began between myself and a headmaster and he didn't believe he had any responsibility to safeguard children, other than to receive parents consent.

Really? Because online safety is even part of the curriculum at primary school and I know it's taken very seriously at secondary school too.
Don't let one poor headteacher ( not headmaster - that's a bit outdated as a term!) make you think all school are like this.

Yes! The school was fairly outdated and that's why this is important. His response to my question was that it is parents responsibility, we ask for their consent so that is okay. At least now I can come back to him with research, time and support, that it is their responsibility too. Do you have any advice, honestly your feedback has been remarkable!

Again, you're conflating too many issues. That's why it's confusing. You're trying to solve too many 'problems'.
It might be useful for you to understand what the safeguarding expectations are for schools as a starting point rather that assuming they are being negligent.

I genuinely believe its my area, were quite run down, schools do not have a lot of money and support and I just want to help. Having two social media accounts-one private to share student, one for marketing. Is the best thing I've heard from this group, around me it is not like that

My point exactly, I do not want this to be apart of it when I bring this conversation to schools, locally. Its not something I understand

Ofsted, NSPCC, online safety bill etc.
There's lots of information online.

Perfect thank you!, honestly your criticism has highlighted to me- where is my fight- local schools- what is my issue, where could their be improvement and the support of the people who have signed. I truly appreciate you for your help today. I will be using all this information to strengthen a conversation in may local area to encourage schools (in my area) that they have a responsibility too.