Social Media Monitoring of Students for Harm and Threat Prevention: Ethical Considerations for School Psychologists

Abstract

The rise of social media use among school youth has compelled school districts to implement social media monitoring to prevent active shootings, bullying, harassment, victimization, and suicide in the community. This presents an ethical and legal dilemma, with issues surrounding students’ rights to safety, privacy, and free speech in cyberspace. This paper followed the ethical decision-making model outlined by Armistead et al. (2011) to provide guidance to school psychologists and district personnel who may be deciding whether to implement social media monitoring. Review of National Association of School Psychologists and American Psychological Association ethical codes, legislation, and case law demonstrated many complexities regarding the rights of students and school district personnel. Evidence on the effectiveness of social media monitoring is still limited, so school districts and school psychologists are recommended to explore alternatives for harm and threat prevention that value the rights of students while also meeting their obligation to prevent abusive or hostile learning environments.