Wales welcomes Facebook and Twitter into the classroom

[Acorn Newsbot]

School pupils in Wales could soon be allowed supervised access to social networks at school to help them become better digital citizens.

Safety fears mean such sites have been banned in all Welsh schools and many in England since 2006. However, Welsh education minister Leighton Andrews says youngsters should be given greater access to help them learn how to use them safely and positively.

The minister is apparently concerned that the ban on social networking sites could lead to pupils using them unsupervised at home or on mobile devices without proper guidance and support.

This move highlights how increasingly difficult it is becoming for education authorities, schools and even parents to ban youngsters from using social networking sites. Being concerned is understandable as there is no doubt that social networking can present risks but there are also plenty of steps you can take to protect your children.

These tips should help to keep your child safe online:

•*Talk to your children about what they do online and join in where you can.*
•*Help your child create a safe and secure profile and password.
•*Remind your child not to give out any personal information such as their date of birth, mobile phone number, address details or the name of their school.
•*Make sure your child understands that they should only make contact with existing friends online.
•*Teach your child not to open unfamiliar emails or messages, as they may contain unsuitable content or a virus.
•*Set time limits on the computer or their mobile when they’re accessing social networks.
•*Advise your child never to meet anyone in the real world that they’ve only met online.

There’s a lot more information, including the danger signs to look out for, in our social networking guide for parents.






More...