Digital Citizenship/Secondary/Online safety, privacy and sharing

Just like our students, it is important that also understand the importance of keeping safe and “keeping private” online. It is important for everyone to understand how much they are revealing (metaphorically and literally :-) online, and if you are planning to communicate and connect with parents and/or students this becomes even more important.

There are a few things you can do to improve your personal privacy online. First up, if you are joined to any social networking online communities such as Facebook you would be wise to check your privacy settings.
 * Understanding your privacy settings on Facebook https://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=394231632130
 * Also, think before you post! Whether it be on the NZ herald site, Facebook or Twitter, whatever you post can become public (regardless of your settings - as it only takes one person to download, reshare or take a screenshot and it is out of your hands and could be out on the world wide web.
 * Basically think - would I be happy for my Principal, parents and/or kids to see this and associate it with me? If the answer is yes, then you are probably okay.

If you want to go a step further and really protect your professional reputation you can find out what is being said about (or others with the same name...) by setting up a Google alert. Setting up a Google Alert for yourself http://www.google.com/alerts

Useful resources
Videos:
 * Who are you online? (from Social Media NZ)
 * http://www.netsafe.org.nz/how-do-i-make-my-computer-secure/
 * http://www.netsafe.org.nz/how-can-i-security-check-my-computer/
 * http://www.netsafe.org.nz/how-can-i-choose-a-strong-password/
 * http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
 * Out of your hands
 * Beware what you share
 * Stand up, don't stand by