Friend/Follow Policy
Below is my personal social network “Friending or Following” policy.
I reserve the right to choose to friend or not friend/follow anyone and to remove anyone from my friend or follow lists at anytime, from any social networking site that I belong to. I also reserve the right to block any person or entity that offends me or is not in keeping with my personal values (my life, my choice).
My definition of “Friending or Following” someone in a social networking site – indicates that I have a personal connection or shared interest with that person, that is beyond any professional responsibilities that I currently hold. I take “Friending or Following” someone seriously and believe that a former professional relationship or simply knowing someone is not cause for me to automatically “Friend” or “Follow” a person.
Students or former Students
My policy is that initiation of a social network friend/follow request will come from former students. I do not plan to request to “friend” any former or current student who has not been out of school less than 3 years.
If a current or former student who is still in school requests to friend me, I will automatically send a message back explaining while they are still in school, that I believe that friending them would be inappropriate until they graduate from high school and refuse the request.
That is also similar to the current guidance at the school where I work.
In truly exceptional situations I may consider a former student who is still in school (in a different district) as a “friend” on a social networking site. But those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and the following criteria would be reviewed first:
- Why does the student believe they need to be part of my social network?
- Where does the student live?
- Have I talked with the student’s legal guardian or parent and received their permission?
- Do I feel comfortable with the arrangement?
If the requesting student has quit school, I will wait a few days then determine how I actually got along with that student and think of reasons why I should or should not friend the student. I would also contact that former student’s legal guardian/parent for their concurrence.
If the former student requesting to “Friend” me is someone who has recently graduated, I think for a couple of days before I choose one way or the other. Then I usually hide them in my stream. I don’t want/need to know the day-to-day lives of teenagers/young adults. But if they want to talk to me they can still do so.
I have been and plan to remain very conservative in my “friending” of those who are still students or have been students.
CO-WORKERS
I do not usually “friend” current co-workers on social networking sites such as Facebook, but as Facebook is developing into more of a combined professional/social stream i.e. the lines are blurring, I would be more likely to friend a co-worker today, whereas in the past, I probably would not have.
I still would more likely consider them for the LinkedIn or Twitter sites, that I consider to be part of my Professional/Personal Learning Networks. In some situations I will, but those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
FAMILY
We can’t choose our family and will welcome most to any personal social networking site, such as Facebook or Twitter.
Effective 7/14/10
HaroldTechnorati Tags: Facebook, social media, Friending, Twitter, Resource220, hshawjr
