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Social Media, Engage Responsibly: Family Resources

Social Media Engage Responsibly
Communications

Read the message from Interim Superintendent Fabi Bagula sent to families on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024:
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On July 16, 2024, the Board of Education approved a resolution to address the dangers of social media. The district will inform and engage families, students, and educators on responsible social media use, digital literacy, and reducing excessive screen time. Family and student resources will be based on research and best practices and in collaboration with mental health professionals and community partners.

Tips
  • Create a family media plan. Agreed-upon expectations can help establish healthy technology boundaries at home – including social media use. A family media plan can promote open family discussion and rules about media use and include topics such as balancing screen/online time, content boundaries, and not disclosing personal information. For information on creating a family media plan, click here.

  • Create tech-free zones and encourage children to foster in-person friendships. Since electronics can be a potential distraction after bedtime and can interfere with sleep, consider restricting the use of phones, tablets, and computers for at least 1 hour before bedtime and through the night. Consider keeping family mealtimes and in-person gatherings device-free to build social bonds and engage in a two-way conversation. Help your child develop social skills and nurture their in-person relationships by encouraging unstructured and offline connections with others and making unplugged interactions a daily priority. See the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for media use.

  • Model responsible social media behavior. As children often learn behaviors and habits from what they see around them, try to model the behavior you want to see. Parents can set a good example of what responsible and healthy social media use looks like by limiting their own use, being mindful of social media habits (including when and how parents share information or content about their child), and modeling positive behavior on your social media accounts.

  • Teach kids about technology and empower them to be responsible online participants at the appropriate age. Discuss with children the benefits and risks of social media as well as the importance of respecting privacy and protecting personal information in age-appropriate ways. Have conversations with children about who they are connecting with, their privacy settings, their online experiences, and how they are spending their time online. Empower and encourage them to seek help should they need it. Learn more about the benefits and risks of social media use and get guidance from experts at AAP’s Center of Excellence on Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health and from the American Psychological Association‘s Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence.

  • Report cyberbullying and online abuse and exploitation. Talk to your child about their reporting options, and provide support, without judgment, if he or she tells or shows you that they (a) are being harassed through email, text message, online games, or social media or (b) have been contacted by an adult seeking private images or asking them to perform intimate or sexual acts. You or your child can report cyberbullying to the school and/or the online platform, or your local law enforcement. Visit CyberTipline, Take it Down, or contact your local law enforcement to report any instances of online exploitation.

  • Work with other parents to help establish shared norms and practices and to support programs and policies around healthy social media use. Such norms and practices among parents facilitate collective action and can make it easier to set and implement boundaries on social media use for children.

* Source: United States Surgeon General's advisory

Ensuring your student’s safe access through the Blocksi Parent Dashboard

  • Allow parents to block websites for their children when the Chromebook is off campus
  • More information can be found in this flyer
  • Parents must register by following the instructions in the Blocksi Parent Job Aid
  • Registration request must be approved by your school’s administration
  • Contact your school or registration approval issues or the SDUSD Help Desk for technical issues 619-209-4357
Resources

San Diego Unified Highlights Student Public Service Announcements for Social Media Awareness Campaign: The district’s College, Career & Technical Education Department held a student contest over the past month, designed to raise awareness about the dangers of social media use among students. The district received over 40 submissions. Several students will have their submissions shared on social media, the district’s weekly newsletter, and the district’s website. The contest is part of the district’s Social Media Awareness Campaign to help families understand the risks of social media use by their children. To view the winners, click here.