Inappropriate Use of Digital Media

I agree with so many posts on here!  It seems to be a glaringly obvious that we need to stress to students how their digital footprint now can influence their lives (both positively and negatively) later.  I can honestly say in my younger days (before my frontal lobe fully developed) I didn't fully understand what a digital footprint was or how it could impact me.  However, this is something we have to teach them.  We cannot expect a student to fully understanding the consequences of their decisions, because, let's be honest, their brain struggles to comprehend the long-term effects of their decisions now.  So we MUST keep working on this!

The inappropriate use of digital media that frustrates me most is when adults use it inappropriately themselves.  We have to be a good example and own up to any possible mistakes or misunderstanding that digital media can perpetuate.  A large frustration for me is when I get an email from another teacher or staff member ranting about a student or confidential information about a student.  I always think to myself, "What if they had sent this to the wrong person?"  "What if the student read this?  How would this adult explain themselves?  How would that student feel?  How would their parent/guardian feel?"  We have to be the positive and honest example.