GooseberryAlert20Beingtoohonestonline–Anonymoussocialmessaging

Welcometoyour‘GooseberryAlert’,noweveryotherweek.Pleasefeelfreetosharethe‘GooseberryPlanetTips/ThoughtsoftheWeek’.HelpingtokeepyouandyourwholeschoolcommunitySaferOnline.

GooseberryStudent‘Discussion’oftheweekTheBigQuestion:Istheresuchathingasbeingtoohonestonline?Takesometimeoffline,tothinkaboutanddiscussthefollowingquestionstohelpformyouropinion.• How can social messaging apps change the way we communicate with

people?• How do you feel about apps that allow users to make comments

anonymously?• Howmightopportunitiestobeanonymouslyhonestonlinebepositiveor

negative?• Howwouldyoumakeanonymoussocialmessagingappssafertouse?

Pleasesharewithstudents.GooseberryTeacher‘Tips’oftheweekIshonestyreallythebestpolicy?MaybeorMaybenot,whenusinganonymoussocialmessagingapps.

• Createtimetodiscussthepositivesandnegativesofsocialmessaging.• Be sure to mention anonymous apps and encourage learners to discuss theirthoughtsfreely.• Getanideaofwhatappsarebeingusedandwhatsocialmessaging isgoingoninyourclassroom. Youmaybesurprisedat thepositiveandresponsiblebehavioursthatalreadyexistorbecomeawareoflearnerswhoneedfurthersupport.• Consider using this discussion to create opportunities for learners, to shareresponsiblewaystointeractsociallyonline.

Ifanissueorconcerndoesarise,makesureyouarefullyinformedaboutthestepsandsafeguardingproceduresyouneedtotake,tosupportachildinyourcare.

Pleasesharewithstaff.GooseberryParent‘Tips’oftheweek

Knowingwhatapps,gamesandwebsitesyourchildrenareusingcanhelpyoustayonestepaheadinunderstandingtheirlifeonline.Anonymous socialmessagingappsarepopular amongstyounger teens forallsortsofreasons.• ‘Check in’ with your child/children and find out how they communicate

onlineandhowtheyfeelaboutanonymousmessagingapps.• Invite them to talk to you about how they manage their safety, when

chattingwithfriendsonline.

PleasesharewithParents.

Inthenews…Inthenews…Inthenews…Inthenews…Inthenews…tbhInanattempttopromotebeing‘niceronline’,Facebookhasrecentlyacquiredanappcalled‘tbh’(tobehonest).Thisisafreeandanonymousappthatisalreadyinusebyover5millionusersintheUSoniOSdevicesbutwepredictitisonlyamatteroftimebeforeithitstheUKandbecomesavailableonotherdevices.Theaim(accordingtoFacebook)oftheappisto“buildacommunityandenablepeople to share inways that bring us closer together”,meeting the emotional needs of users bycreatingpositive(yetanonymous)experiencesonline.DescribedoniTunesPreviewas‘Theonlyanonymousappthatcreatespositivevibes’Userscreatepositivequestionswhicharethenansweredanonymouslybytheonlinecommunitiesthattheybelongto.Userscanchooselater‘reveal’theiridentityandtheirresponse.Theideaistotryandincreasepositiveinteractiononlineandhelppeoplefeelbetter.Userscancreatepositivelythemedpollsandvoteonallkindsoftopicsfrom‘Whohasthebestsmile?’to‘whomakesyoulaughthemost?’.Itisdifficulttosayhowmuchofapositiveimpactthisappwillhaveonchangingbehaviouronlinebutthiscouldbethefirststeptowardsdeveloperstakingsomeresponsibilityforthecontenttheycreateandpromoteonline.

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