Matthew Soeth recently sat down with youth safety expert Anne Collier to have a conversation about the social media helpline they both started in 2015. Online and offline drama are prominent in schools everywhere. With a race to ban phones and other restrictive policies, Anne and Matt discuss the complexities of online safety and steps to take in solving the underlying issues that cause much of the drama that young people face in these spaces.
There are a lot of middle-layer resources, such as school education programs and helplines, that play a crucial role in online safety. This is more than the technology used to moderate content, but relies heavily on understanding that relational and behavioral aspects of young people often overshadow online safety issues that play out in school environments.
The Limitations of Technical Solutions
Social media issues are often rooted in deeper social and emotional problems. While technical solutions like taking content down may be necessary, they are not sufficient. The real challenge lies in addressing the underlying causes of harmful online behavior, such as bullying, harassment, and digital exclusion.
The Importance of Human Connection and Empathy
Effective solutions require a human-centered approach, emphasizing empathy, understanding, and employing restorative justice practices. By empowering students to take ownership of their online behavior and fostering a positive school culture, administrators can create a more supportive and inclusive environment. It’s essential to move beyond punitive measures and focus on educating students about the impact of their actions and the importance of digital citizenship.
The Role of Schools in Shaping Digital Behavior
Schools play a crucial role in shaping students’ digital literacy and well-being. By providing comprehensive digital citizenship education, schools can equip students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world responsibly. Additionally, schools should collaborate with students and parents to create a holistic approach to addressing online safety and well-being.
This Still Leaves Challenges
If you’ve been in Student Activities for a while, you know the value of a healthy climate and culture. When it comes to online issues, if students know they are supported and trust the people around them, the amount of online drama that exists diminishes exponentially. Training students how to respond to online drama, knowing that when they tell an adult that incident will be investigated and hopefully the rules will be enforced, leads to healthier outcomes and better decisions being made by young people. These concepts need to be made part of your school culture and reinforced at every available opportunity.
You can read more about the helpline’s pilot and their findings at https://socialmediahelpline.com. You can listen to the podcast by Anne and Matt online, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify.
