Social Media - A double-edged Sword

Below are excerpts from the Ministry's Staff Forum regarding the use of Facebook, which I find meaningful and thought-provoking.

---

So I guess we've just got to be aware that Facebook is a public place, regardless of how private we think our community or "friends" are.

If you write something on Facebook and you dun wan people to see, then dun write there cos somehow, some way, some people can read it. Even if you dun add students as friend, who can guarantee that your 'Friend(s)' will not spread what you write in other means? So it is best not to write when angry, be it Facebook, email, forums, etc. If really cannot tahan and just want to vent anger, then write on a piece of paper - then burn it, shred it, flush it down the WC or swallow it, etc. Confirm no one will know.

The internet is not private in the first place, but if you accept (requests), then you are only helping to make it less private to you. You're responsible for anything on your page anyway, having students there only complicates matters.

While social media can be very beneficial, we can always be guided by the principle of being responsible for what we say or do.

---

Strictly speaking, a private and seemingly aloof person like me shouldn't be bothered about using social media like MSN, Twitter, Facebook or Google+. I always prefer blogging to posting online / real time messages as blogging allows me to reflect as whatever I say on cyberspace is no longer private and thus one has to be responsible for all his actions and words, both on and off-line.

As an educator however, I would like to reach out to my charges as much as possible as well as to be on the same frequency as them. For years I have been explaining to my pupils why I do not have a Fb account, mainly due to not wanting to spend too much time online (kaypoh-ing or voyuering others) and that I do not want to come to a point hwere I reject people's request or unfriend them for I do not enjoy social tensions. But Google+ caught my attention for it can make postings more 'careful' by allowing me the function to group contacts such that they would not know how much information they have privileged to access. However having jumped onboard to Google+, it seemed more like Ghost-town+ as not many people are there. Moreover if Fb is already so established, who would want to migrate?

Come next year, I really hope to reach out to my pupils via social media but on a professional teacher-pupil basis. Interestingly, I came across this site http://www.edmodo.com/ which is somewhat similar to Fb but for educators and learners. Still researching on it though.