President Obama and FOX TV’s Geraldo Rivera have heard the criticism about recent selfies. But a Tennessee school counselor has a better way to send a message about the lasting impact of social media. Julie Ann Culp posted a picture on her personal Facebook page, holding a sign that said, “I’m talking to my 5th grade students about Internet safety and how quickly a photo can be seen by lots of people. If you are reading this, please click ‘LIKE.’ In very little time, her lesson went viral, receiving more than 4.2 million likes.
In this exclusive ReMARCable blog Skype interview, Culp talks with Marc Silverstein about the overwhelming reaction to her experiment, and how it’s impacted her students. “I wanted them to understand there’s an audience online,” says Culp. “It’s important to realize how many people see what you’re doing and how it happens quickly. The reality is, kids are on social media younger than they should be and it’s never too early to get them thinking about this.”
Watch the interview to find out what lesson Culp has planned next, and the site she recommends to students and parents for advice about Internet safety.