In EdTech this week, we had a guest lecture from Jesse Miller regarding online security, digital consent, and teaching networked citizenship. I learned a lot about both the letter and the spirit of the laws that apply to online behaviour, both as a teacher and as a member of the general public. I’m pleased to hear that laws are catching up to the 21st century in terms of updating definitions and generalizing consent, slander, and privacy to apply to the reality that nowadays, everyone has a ‘digital’ persona. Yes, even you, Aunt Mildred (who doesn’t have social media but pays her MSP bill online). The online ‘version’ of a person should have the same rights as the physical version.

I have been reticent to join social media in earnest, but I have to confess that it has nothing to do with concern for my privacy. Instead, my aversion to social media stems from my communication preferences.  I am one of those people that would rather enjoy a moment for myself than to photograph and share it. I am one of those people that like to share my experiences with those who might be interested in person, instead of Tweeting about the things I do, see, and accomplish. This is not to say that I’m not strongly outspoken, opinionated, and proud of my experiences and accomplishments. I have simply never understood the urge to shout opinions, information, and ‘humble brags’ into a void, hoping the right people will find that digital message-bottle and resonate with it.  That sounds exhausting!

 

I have spent a lot of time in the past year thinking that in order to be an effective educator and successful professional, I need to have a ‘professional social media presence’. I was gearing up to go against my basic programming and get a Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok/whatever else account and learn how to use them to further my career. For those who have the energy to do this (or grew up with it being a reality), I think social media can be an amazing tool. But the more I learn about the frankly archaic and seemingly absurd standards that teachers are held to, and the more I hear about permissions and digital consent, the more I confirm for myself that trying to build an online persona is just not worth my time at this stage of the game. For me, the term ‘professional social media’ is a bare step above an oxymoron. I’m going to have to spend some time this weekend curating my Facebook page, so that I can still use that platform to host events and connect with friends from my past.

But as for the rest? Actually, no thank you. I’m good.