The pilot scheme is being trialed in Wales with lessons teaching pupils about what sort of posts to avoid and giving warnings about embarrassing photos that are put up on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The move to introduce these lessons into the classroom came after the Welsh Government asked local councils to ensure that school children have better access to social media and to social networking sites.
According to a report by the BBC the move to help pupils is part of a proactive response to the changing role of social media in every aspects of people’s lives.
Anne Jones, the assistant information commissioner told the BBC: “We’ve had experience of cases where people have maybe applied for jobs and something they’ve done in their past or they’ve put up on Facebook has actually stopped them from getting that job,”
She added: “We all know that employers tend to search for these things online and it certainly has been happening and I’m sure it will happen again in the future.”
So far one school in Wales will be chosen to run the pilot scheme which involves a further 30 from across the UK.
Anne Jones said: “There’s a lot of reasons why we feel this is a really important project to take forward – to embed information rights into the curriculum.
“It is that full package of information rights, it’s understanding personal data – your personal information is valuable and, as far as children are concerned, explaining to them or trying to make sure them understand exactly what personal information is.
“It’s trying to make sure that they deal appropriately – that they don’t give it away to the wrong people, that they keep it safe where it needs to be kept safe.”
The importance of social media in all aspects of life from social to professional is increasingly becoming apparent to Governments who are now looking to educate not only school children about the dangers and benefits of social media but also those in an older generation for them to learn how to incorporate social media into their lives to increase job prospects.
Social media and social networks look very much here to stay so by making sure that everyone understands how to use these platforms best can only be in the interest of governments and wider society as a whole.