Creative Guide for Teachers & Parents

SUBJECT & DISCUSSION IDEA #8 - Parents on Facebook

Are YOUR parents on Facebook?

It doesn't matter who it is - your parents, colleagues, employer or coach. If you're putting information online it is public and permanent and there is a real possibility that almost anyone can see it. If you aren't comfortable with certain photos or information being seen by everyone then you should probably not post them online. Screen what you upload. Think before you click and avoid any uneasiness!

But what if you are careful about what you post and you're still uncomfortable with having your parents as friends on Facebook? Maybe they constantly write messages on your wall and comment on everything you do. This could be more incentive for you to get more comfortable with the privacy settings. Is it possible to give them limited access? If you want to commiserate with other teens who are in the same boat, check out Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook. The site was created by two twenty-something girls who discuss and give examples of the parent-child relationship on Facebook.

Discussion idea:

A Norwegian website dealing with youth privacy has videos which show kids how easy it is for others to find out what they have been doing on the Internet. This scenario takes place at a student- teacher conference where the teacher is discussing what she discovered after simply googling the students work.