EdLawConnect Blog

While most educational institutions likely already have policies in place for educating minors about online conduct and cyberbullying in order to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and to pursue E-rate funds, it would be an excellent time to reexamine those policies, confirm they address online behavior and cyberbullying, and determine whether the policies are effective. In other words, are students actually learning about appropriate online behavior and cyberbullying?

While the FCC does not require effective Internet safety policies or address their implementation, it is in the best interest of each educational institution to ensure that students are, in fact, learning about safe, ethical, and legal technology use. Sound policies are the first step, but it is also important to ensure that the policies are being followed and are effective. If your educational institution has not yet incorporated student education into its Internet safety policies, now is the time. For further information about CIPA or other technology-related statutes or case law, contact your legal counsel.