Other schools have already found ways to stay connected with the community while keeping children safe — they use a public page for news and a private platform for families. I’d love to see ours work towards something similar. It feels like the safest balance for everyone.

The script below was AI generated by using my own beliefs which expressed the importance of School and Nursery Facebook pages not being open to public. I truly believe you should be asked questions to join as a member of their Facebook pages and they should know exactly who are following their pages. This is a new world we’re living in and Schools & Nursery’s should be playing their part in safeguarding children! —Jade

In an age where social media pervades every aspect of our lives, protecting our children online is paramount. The internet can be a double-edged sword, offering our kids new ways to learn and socialize, but also exposing them to risks that we, as responsible adults, must mitigate. Reflecting on how children grow up online today, it's clear that schools and nurseries need to set a standard by limiting access to their official social media pages.

Currently, many school Facebook pages are open to the public, allowing anyone to view posts, images, and updates about school activities. This lack of restriction poses a significant risk to the safety and privacy of our children. Individuals with malicious intent could potentially gather information or images from these pages, leading to situations that are decidedly unsafe and anxiety-inducing for both parents and children.

Facebook itself has over 2.8 billion users worldwide, and with such a vast audience, safeguarding our children's information has become more crucial than ever. Studies show that over-authenticating users and controlling who has access to children-related content can dramatically reduce this risk and foster a safer online environment (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2021).

I urge school administrators and boards to implement stricter guidelines for their social media pages. Effective actions include: restricting page access to approved parents, teachers, and students only, implementing questions to verify identities before granting access, and regularly auditing page-followers to ensure control is maintained. These steps not only protect our children but are consistent with the educational commitment to practice and champion internet safety.

Join me in urging schools and nurseries to adopt these practices to ensure they are truly practising what they preach about internet safety. Let's call on school authorities to be proactive in safeguarding the online presence of our children. Please sign this petition to call for committed and immediate action towards enhanced protection standards. Together, we can make sure our children are shielded online and grow up in a safer digital world.