» New Brunswick Schools Block Facebook AccessTelecommunications Industry News

Telecom News Editorials Reports Glossary

New Brunswick Schools Block Facebook Access

6:48 am on November 24, 2008 | Category: Internet, Web Services

The Department of Education for the Canadian province of New Brunswick has taken action to prevent students from using the social networking website, Facebook, blocking access to the service during school hours (7:00am to 3:30pm)

Department spokeswoman, Valerie Kilfoil, said that there had been numerous reports of Facebook being a distraction to students, and even causing disruption in class.

“It all ties into the use of technology in the schools. It must always be linked to educational outcomes and as well the department always has to be vigilant about privacy and pupil-protection issues so because Facebook is a social network, it was determined that it did not fit into the educational outcomes, in terms of the use of technology,” Kilfoil said.

The Facebook ban only applies to school computers, meaning that students can still access the site during school hours using a laptop or handheld device. Many schools, however, have their own rules preventing students from using such devices during class time.

The Department of Education isn’t the first New Brunswick institution to take against the potential distraction caused by Facebook. Almost half of the province’s government agencies â€“ including the departments of agriculture, fisheries, health, natural resources, and tourism â€“ have blocked their employees from using the site during work hours.

Telecommunications Industry News