EducationPR

EducationPR normally restricts its focus to technology as it relates to communication professionals in education. But when I speak at workshops I frequently get questions about how to deal with students’ use of blogs and other social media. Here’s a thoughtful post from NSBA’s BoardBuzz, discussing distinctions between blogging in general, which offers everyone the power to publish, and the role of school administrations when student blogs are in question. Freedom of expression is a wonderful thing. But “when it comes to students,” writes BoardBuzz, “the school’s first mission is making sure the classroom environment is safe so learning can take place. And, if that means coming down on a cyber-bully or a rogue student intent on disrupting the right of other students to a safe and sound learning environment, so be it.”

You’re an organization with some friends and some outspoken critics, like most organizations have. One of your outspoken critics, a blogger, posts some crucial security-related information handed to him by an ex-employee of your organization. The information exposes your organization to great risks. You discover the blog posts, get some cooperation from the ex-employee, but not from the blogger guy, who not only refuses to remove the post, but boasts about his defiance on other internet forums. Not only that, your organization isn’t exactly sure who or where the blogger guy is. This is happening, as we speak, to Target Corp., reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Leaking trade secrets is nothing new; here’s just another wrinkle that organizations have to deal with.