On Monday there was a train accident a block or two from school. The rumor going around was that it was a pedestrian-train accident. It’s something I find fairly amazing since there are an abudance of flashing lights and guard rails at that rail crossing, it seems amazing that anyone could not know a train was coming. Yet somehow all the the technology available didn’t prevent this collision.
That might reflect how responsibly we use technology. Technology can be used positively, or negatively but ultimately if it saves us or hurts us really depends on what we do with it. That point was brought home this week when I came across PleaseRobMe.com which looks how people use Twitter. I use Twitter to keep in touch with other teachers around the globe and share lesson ideas. It’s my source of professional development without even leaving the school.
Others don’t use Twitter in such a positive way. PleaseRobMe.com highlights the tweets on Twitter where someone has announced to the world that they are not at home and that, consequently, their home is available for burglaring.
Most people I know who use Twitter (or other social networks) will keep in contact with colleagues and learn from them, but having established a level of friendliness, they will very readily give out personal information in a very pubic way. You know exactly where they are within seconds of them announcing it.
PleaseRobMe.com highlights the need for caution when we use social networks. They can do so much to help us, but without safeguards, they can do so much to hurt us, too.