Social media and profs: think twice

The other day I was talking to the student press, and a question came up about social media and professors. We talked about boundaries, and about what to do if a professor wants to be your friend on Facebook or other social media. I told them that in my view, the answer is quite simple: Profs shouldn’t be asking to be your Facebook friend—and if they do ask, it’s best to decline. The University has a responsibility to protect privacy of students, and using social media with students may be violating our obligations. You should also know that if a professor or instructor is using social media as part of their teaching, there are important guidelines they should follow. If you feel pressured to interact with a prof on social media in a way you don’t think is right, please let me know: we’re here to help. Navigating social media can be tough, and even more so when we’re talking about the online world at a university. Study hard, stay well.

 


McGill University is on land which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous Peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. McGill honours, recognizes and respects these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and waters on which we are located. For information about some of the Indigenous initiatives at McGill please visit the website for the Office of Indigenous Initiatives


 

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