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"The policy should be in tandem with the technology use policy, but its main focus should be to appropriate the use of social media platforms, tools and websites and also to clearly describe the consequences of inappropriate use. Consistent enforcement of the policy, once implemented, is absolutely essential to maximize the policy's effectiveness. While a company's social media policy must be tailored to its specific workplace, there also are many common elements that should be included in any social media policy."

Some interesting research going on in the EU on how social media can be used to inform policy: Social networking technology provides major new opportunities for policy makers (eGovernment) to engage with the community (eSociety). We will develop a toolset that allows full advantage to be taken of a wide range of existing and well established social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, WordPress etc.) to engage citizens in two-way dialogs as part of governance and policymaking processes. The tools will make it possible to detect, track and mine opinions and discussions on policy oriented topics. The tools will allow discussions to be seeded and stimulated through injection of policy discussion points into relevant communities in a secure and managed way. The tools will allow the origins, bias and evolution of opinions to be tracked to provide auditable records of provenance, guard against misuse, and ensure trust and privacy for all involved. A key feature of our approach is to allow policy makers to move away from the limitations inherent in the current practice of using bespoke and dedicated platforms (e.g. specific opinion soliciting websites hosted by government) and instead make full use of the high levels of participation and rich discussions that already take place in existing social networking communities. In this way, WeGov will develop the tools and techniques for closing the loop between policy makers and the citizens.

"The Department has a clear Anti-Bullying Policy through the strategy 'Safe Schools are Effective Schools' which highlights that every student has the right to feel safe from bullying at school. All forms of bullying, whether it be physical, verbal or cyber are not tolerated at any level in Victorian government schools. As noted in the Department's Anti-Bullying Policy, all Victorian government schools must develop and implement a Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct must now be updated to include cyber bullying. See the Department's anti-bullying Policy & Code of Conduct ."

NSW Ed policy library has some good guidance on policy development for schools, particularly - https://policies.education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/associated-documents/digital-devices-guide.pdf

The purpose of this white paper is to help association executives create effective social media policies for themselves, their staff, and key volunteers. We'll use our own social media guidelines as a template. We'll show you the building blocks we used to write the guidelines, and explain what risks each section is meant to address. We hope you will feel free to use it, edit it, and put it into language consistent with your own organization.

"Well, to help, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has released an AUP guide ( Acceptable Use Policy Guide) to help school district leaders rethink their internet use policies and how educational technology can best be used to help students get the most out of their time in school."

New AUP online services NSW Schools

"Does your employer / Institution have a policy for the accepted use, by staff, for how they can use Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, SlideShare, YouTube, WordPress, etc)? Is it limited to how you can use it for work, or in work, or does it cover your usage outside of work and how you talk/post about what you do at work? Are you allowed to use images/logo of your employer/Institution in your work?"

A read through most online privacy policies is enough to make your stomach acid curdle. And social media companies have more access to personal data than most. Some collect information you expressly give them, like your credit card and telephone numbers. Others gather data based on how and where you use their services. This might include anything from device and browser information to location intel. And some of it gets really specific - think about your last search query or ad click. It's probably all "fair" game. Depending on the type gathered, social networks use data to enhance location services and target advertising (now you know why that sunglasses website you visited three months ago follows you all over the web). A few social sites even share certain information with marketers and/or third-party partners - in that case, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with those other companies' policies as they apply to you and your information.

School systems are still being far too reactive in their social media policies (some do not even have one). Outside of schools, students are 'on and connected' to virtual environments and social networks. Teachers must embrace these technologies inside and outside of the classroom to have a meaningful connection with their students and promote collaboration amongst students. Too many improprieties are occurring because the rules of collaboration are unclear and the power of online collaboration and communication goes untapped. Parents, teachers, and school leaders have a responsibility to guide students through understanding the characteristics of a global digital citizenship. "

Protecting informatoin - advancing information policy. "This paper gathers together Australian reports and developments that advance the creation of Australian Government Information Policy."

"A friend request shows up on your Facebook page from a student in your library club. Do you confirm or ignore it? When a student is involved, this ordinarily straightforward decision can be trickier than you think depending on your school district's board policy. "

"Following news reports that a Central Bucks School District English teacher was recently suspended for posting unflattering comments about her students in an online blog, it seems several local school districts already have policies on the books for similar situations."

This study of policies for information and communication technologies (ICT) in education and training in Australian education systems and agencies is the initial component in a project undertaken for the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The project comprises three components: the development of a searchable online data base where policies, both Australian and international, are summarised, and which can be accessed through edna (http://www.edna.edu.au); this report on Australian developments; an international report covering ten countries in Europe, North America and Asia, as well as Australian systems. The Australian report provides the platform for the comparative analysis of the international report.

I plan to do social media for my assignment but with an emphasis on learning. This, on the other hand, is a comprehensive blueprint of how schools can use a facebook page to keep in touch with its community. It's an easy-to-use addition but not a replacement for "a robust website". Worth reading as he discusses the sort of information that might be included and how schools can control the use and misuse of that information.

"It makes sense to have a policy to discourage individual teachers from posting specifics about their students to their personal profiles. But schools should counterbalance such a policy by setting up a Facebook Page to represent the school. Students, families, and faculty members are going to use Facebook regardless of whether or not schools choose to do so. By setting up a Facebook Page, schools can establish a controlled, professional presence that allows them to capitalize on this social space in many important ways, while still protecting their students. It's important to note that while a Facebook Page is an excellent opportunity for schools to supplement their web presence, it doesn't fully replace the benefits of a robust website. Here are some ways that schools can benefit from establishing an effective Facebook presence."

Scroll down to check out Mount Erin College's 'Acceptable Use Policy for Mobile Devices'. This school is also has a blog "The Daily Insider" and is using Twitter.

This school's policy on mobile phone use is progressive and sensible. It's worth a look.

"So, like every other one of the world's 1.28 billion monthly active Facebook users, you blindly agreed to Facebook's Terms and Conditions without reading the fine print. You entrusted your photo albums, private messages and relationships to a website without reading its policies. And you do the same with every other site ... sound about right? In your defense, Carnegie Mellon researchers determined that it would take the average American 76 work days to read all the privacy policies they agreed to each year. So you're not avoiding the reading out of laziness; it's literally an act of job preservation. So here are the Cliffs Notes of what you agreed to when you and Facebook entered into this contract. Which, by the way, began as soon as you signed up:"

Schools have significantly different needs and ideas regarding on-line safety, much of it dependent upon their experience and comfort on the spectrum of users of digital media to promote student success. It is necessary for schools and communities to work together to demystify the potential uses and abuses of digital media within and outside the school setting. Understanding the potential for cyberbullying, sexting, or other inappropriate consumption and planning for responsible reactions to such is a priority for the community that wishes to harness the potential of the tools while also keeping children safe.

"Information and communications technologies (ICT) policies in schools have two dimensions. One is to ensure that students are protected from pernicious materials on the Internet. The other is to enable student access to the extensive resources on the Internet for learning and teaching. While these two dimensions are not intrinsically in conflict, in actuality, such can become the case."

It is commonly recognized that our nation's progress depends on improving learning, thereby creating healthier communities and a stronger workforce. In today's world, that requires us to take advantage of new learning tools to ensure that our children's learning is practical and prepares them for the challenges of the 21st century. The advantages of digital media now greatly outweigh the disadvantages and require that schools update their thinking and policies to provide guidance on the use of these tools to improve student learning and achievement.