Schools: Don't simply block Social Media on campus Wi-Fi

While having the ability to block apps - as written about in a previous blog posted here - is a much needed feature for all Wi-Fi administrators, I want to play devil's advocate. What is your reaction to new apps and social networks? Do you block immediately, or do you wait and see?

I like to take the wait-and-see approach when it comes to content filtering. While I always block categories such as adult content, guns, weapons, etc., I am much more lenient when it comes to video sites and social networks. I know that many of you are banging your head on the desk right now, but hear me out.

We want to teach boundaries, not rules, when it comes to technology.

While I stole that line from my friends with curbi - an app that offers parental controls for iOS devices - I think it should be a guiding light for all schools.

Technology is not something we’ve grown up with. I still remember signing on to Prodigy and AOL dial up. Today’s kids do not. In fact, a lot of the kids in school today don’t remember buying CDs. My four year old son thinks something is wrong with the TV when he sees a commercial.

Douglas Adams once said, “I’ve come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:

1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

Has there ever been a more true statement about the role of technology in our lives? Most of the people reading this article are probably approaching #3. The things that are happening in technology seem crazy to us. We see things like the Apple Watch and question its place in the world. Meanwhile, a ten-year-old is thinking of the possibilities.

We remember life “pre-iPhone.” They don’t. To them, we’ve always had computers in our pocket. Many of us remember life before the Internet. We certainly remember life before it was so ingrained in our lives. The students of today do not. The Internet is a part of their natural order.

I say all that to make this point: I remember when people said that the Internet was full of junk. In many ways, it is. As much as 75% or more of the Internet is made up of things that I either do notcare for or would be offended by.

The other 25% is magical, though.

YouTube is a perfect example of a website that is frequently blocked, but probably shouldn’t be. Is there a lot of junk on it? Absolutely. Is there a lot of great content on it? You tell me: click here, or here, or here.

Let’s not shut off access to one of the world’s largest video libraries because there is a chance kids might see something they shouldn’t. Let’s deal with those situations when they arise. Let’s have honest conversations with our students about digital citizenship and appropriate content.

After we satisfy the rules of CIPA/COPA, I recommend that all schools keep their networks as open as possible. Lets let our students be creative, tinker, search, and learn. Let’s not let them consistently see block pages.

Do you know what’s worse than no filter? Too much filtering. If there is a fight at recess, does anyone say we should cancel it for good? No, we deal with the problems and move on. Let’s treat our filtering that way as much as possible.

Have thoughts to share on this topic? Please feel free to leave them in comments below.

Bradley Chambers
Director of IT
Brainerd Baptist School