Plug Me In

The Disappointing Trail…

November 4, 2007

Recently, we began exploring one of the most interesting new tools available online—Trailfire—which allows users to begin to organize their online content.  Trails—the end product created by Trailfire users—are collections of annotated websites on a single topic.  Knowing how important teaching Internet safety is, I used Trailfire to introduce the characteristics of safe and unsafe websites to the digital junkies in Plug Me In. 

My heart was a bit broken, then, when our school district decided to block Trailfire completely because of inappropriate content.  “What!” I screamed after getting the email from our school’s tech contact, “How am I supposed to teach kids to use Web 2.0 tools if every good tool ends up blocked.  I haven’t seen any inappropriate content—If it’s there, it must be hidden pretty good.”

Curious, I stopped by Trailfire to do a bit of in-depth exploration.  After about five minutes, I stumbled across some pretty serious pornography.  Turns out that not all Trailfire users are interested in using the tool for good—-or in following the Trailfire terms of service!  I immediately “turned off” our Plug Me In Trailfire account and sent an email to the Trailfire tech contacts asking for their help in making their site safer.  I’m currently waiting for their answer and will keep you posted about what I find out.

 This experience is one that any teacher working with Web 2.0 tools can probably relate to.  You see, any time that you’re forced to rely on free tools, you’re also forced to accept the reality that the Web is a dangerous place—and that inappropriate content can be found around nearly every corner.  Creators of free services are generally well-intentioned—they’d love their tools to be useful for students and schools—but monitoring every piece of content created by users is simply impossible. 

The balance between promoting their tools and limiting their uses is a delicate balancing act to say the least!

Our challenge, then, is to determine what level of tolerance we’re comfortable with as parents and as teachers.  Can we really keep our kids completely safe online—in a perfect bubble where they’ll be shielded from any inappropriate content at all? 

If we try, what do we lose?  Will students be prevented from using highly motivating tools appropriately?  Will they lose the opportunity to learn about what responsible students do when they encounter inappropriate content?

This is a question that has to be answered before Web 2.0 tools can really become common teaching tools  in our schools. 

Signed,

Bam Bam Bigelow

Entry Filed under: Internet Safety, Reflections. .