Responsible and respectful sharing: Children’s data and social media use in education
Research-Informed Principles to Guide Social Media Use in Education
The sharing of children’s data on social media should prioritise children’s data privacy and empower their right to have a say about how their digital data is shared.
The Research-Informed Principles to Guide Social Media Use in Education presents a collective stance from researchers and industry bodies on the responsible and respectful use of children’s digital data in social media and online communications within education settings. As digital platforms become increasingly embedded in educational practice, schools and institutions must navigate complex responsibilities around children’s data privacy, digital rights, and online representation.
Drawing on current research and professional expertise, these principles have been developed to advocate for a shared understanding of the key issues regarding the sharing of children’s data on social media and the implications for children and their families. The principles aim to be applicable across different stakeholder groups to establish clear, informed procedures and strategies that guide responsible and respectful social media sharing.
Authors:
- Dr Karley Beckman, University of Wollongong
- Dr Tiffani Apps, University of Wollongong
- Ryan Elwell, ACT Education Directorate
- Sarah Darcy, ACT Education
- Co-authors: Rebecca Ng, Claire Rogerson, Kristy Corser, Madeleine Dobson, and Anna Bunn
Date published: 10 March 2026
Suggested citation: Beckman, K., Apps, T., Elwell, R., Darcy, S., Ng, R., Rogerson, C., Corser, K., Dobson, M. and Bunn, A., (2026), Responsible and respectful sharing: Children’s data and social media use in education, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, DOI: 10.5204/eprints.263362