Our focus on Using Your Voice, connected strongly with being Authentic and Adventurous, also provides an important lens through which we consider technology use. Being authentic online means making responsible choices about what we share, how we represent ourselves and others, and recognising that our digital actions can have a lasting impact. Using our voice wisely also means knowing when to speak up, when to step back and when to consider the impact of our choices.
As a community, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining healthy and consistent boundaries around technology use and of being familiar with the College’s IT Technology Use Policy and Digital Device Use Policy. These expectations are in place to protect both our students and staff, and to ensure that everyone in our community is treated with dignity, respect and appropriate privacy.
It is important to reinforce the expectation that NO students are to film, photograph or create social media content of themselves or others while wearing their Brigidine College uniform, whether at school or outside of school. Staff are also not to be filmed, photographed or recorded by students without appropriate permission. These expectations help safeguard our students and staff, protect privacy and maintain appropriate professional boundaries. In line with current NSW and ISNSW privacy guidance, images, video and audio may constitute personal information where a person is identifiable, and sharing this content publicly can increase risks such as unwanted identification, misuse and AI manipulation.
The importance of thoughtful boundaries around technology is increasingly reflected in research and international action. Dr Danielle Einstein’s research, alongside the work of Dr Judith Locke in Raising Anxiety, highlights the relationship between social media, anxiety and fear of missing out (FoMO) and the importance of helping young people develop confidence, resilience and the capacity to tolerate uncertainty. At the same time, growing international scrutiny of platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, including legal action against Meta over alleged harms to young people, reinforces the need to look beyond simply how much technology is used. We need to consider how and why young people are using it, what they are exposed to and how platforms are designed to keep them engaged.
As adults, we therefore need to be intentional about when, why and how we introduce and model technology and social media to our children. It is not simply about screen time, but whether technology is replacing sleep, physical activity, face-to-face connection or time away from the online world. As the Australian eSafety Commissioner reminds us, no online platform is risk-free, and young people can encounter online harms across a range of digital spaces. Parents are encouraged to be aware of the accounts their child has, how much time they are spending online, and whether their accounts and content are private or public. Time spent online can often be monitored through the device itself, providing a useful starting point for conversations.
These expectations are not intended to unnecessarily restrict young people, but to provide protective boundaries while they develop the skills, confidence and judgement to navigate an increasingly complex digital world. We encourage families to reinforce these expectations at home and to keep conversations about technology open, calm and ongoing.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to the College if you would benefit from additional support through our Linewise licensing, which provides families with tools and resources to support safe and responsible technology use.
For safeguarding our young people and our staff is a shared responsibility, both online and offline.
Ms Sia Mastro
Director of Student Wellbeing
