Welsh Government Web Filtering Policy

[adrianjones]

180202-web-filtering-standards-for-schools-en.pdf

 

Hi

 

I have attached the Welsh Government policy for web filtering in schools. Two things stand out in the policy they recommend that Social Media and all Webmail are open for pupils and staff. Just wondering on anybody's opinion on this? Do your schools let social media and webmail open?

[synaesthesia]

I thought Donald Trump was the president of the USA, so what's he doing mandating rules in Wales?

 

(Just in case that goes over anyone's heads, that's referring to the fact that someone who clearly doesn't fully understand matters is trying to have a say in them).

Whilst in an ideal world it would be good to allow social media, instant messaging, forums etc to help people understand and learn about using them safely, that should be done in a controlled manner. Sometimes it's not just about safety; productivity should come into it as well.

Edited February 6, 2018 by synaesthesia

[3s-gtech]

They've been touting this for years. They can recommend all they like; until it's mandated, their recommendation will be filed along with "we recommend that you have no permanent exclusions" and "we recommend that all of your students get 5 A* to C including English and Maths" (both to paraphrase of course). It's not feasible.

 

It's also fairly pointless. 95% of the students here have mobile phones with data plans. Our network is a business network - we need to help manage their time rather than giving them even more distractions in class. Social media's educational benefits are pretty thin at present IMO. We also need to manage bandwidth - we're already squeezed massively on a corporate WAN, Facebook et al can use a lot of data.

 

Webmail though. Eh? We give them email access already. What real benefit will they gain from accessing their other accounts here?

[Oaktech]

Webmail, maybe.

 

Social Media Nope... That's an epic can of safeguarding worms that I'm not prepared to open.

 

It's hard enough to keep students on task with the distraction of the google doodle games, let alone opening up for them to d*ck about on social media too.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yes we've fallen in line along with the LEA.

 

Attempting to educate on social media use rather than just ban it.

[synaesthesia]

Good luck at least they'll be using social media safely whilst they learn absolutely nothing

[AlanD]

Yes we've fallen in line along with the LEA.

 

Attempting to educate on social media use rather than just ban it.

 

I think you are onto something here. I'd like to see - well at least parents (if not schools) - always having permission to see and read all social media of students under 16...

 

And perhaps school should be able to see anything posted during the school day...by law.

 

I think pupils do need monitoring and guidance...and to be taken to task over what they post...and both schools and parents have a role to play.

 

Social Media companies need to think hard about how this can be achieved...without waiting for governments (which are always behind the curve on everything from tax evasion to waste disposal) to catch up and enforce something they might not like.