Quoted from email about "Policy change in regards to Social Media use for social learning from Centre for Innovation, Leiden University" by Tanja de Bie, Community Manager (Centre for Innovation, Leiden University via Coursera)

The Centre for Innovation of Leiden University has always strongly supported social or collaborative learning in online learning:  the interaction between learners facilitating learners, whether that is in discussion forums, peer review assignments or in our Facebook groups, contributes to a deeper understanding of subjects, and prepares learners to apply their knowledge.

However, the Centre for Innovation has a responsibility to our teachers, learners and volunteers, under GDPR and our own Privacy Policy. Based on this we conducted a review of different platforms that we made use of for collaborative, social learning and have decided to move away from those that do not allow us to meet our obligations and promises to those in our care.

Therefore we have decided to close all Facebook groups, Whatsapp groups and Instagram accounts currently under control of the Centre for Innovation, per the 29th of March 2019, and have adjusted our courses accordingly.

You can direct any questions or remarks in regards to this policy to MOOC@sea.leidenuniv.nl.

Kind Regards,

On behalf of Centre for Innovation, Leiden University,

Tanja de Bie, Community Manager

At least part of Leiden University is apparently making the moral and ethical call to close all their Facebook related properties. Kudos! They’ve already got a great website, perhaps they’ll move a bit more toward the IndieWeb?

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Chris Aldrich

I'm a biomedical and electrical engineer with interests in information theory, complexity, evolution, genetics, signal processing, IndieWeb, theoretical mathematics, and big history. I'm also a talent manager-producer-publisher in the entertainment industry with expertise in representation, distribution, finance, production, content delivery, and new media.

10 thoughts on “”

  1. At least part of Leiden University is apparently making the moral and ethical call to close all their Facebook related properties. Kudos! They’ve already got a great website, perhaps they’ll move a bit more toward the IndieWeb?

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  2. I often find myself presenting the argument of. “We’re lucky enough to have them videos visiting and using are site. Why would we want them give them incentive to leave?”

    For example when sharing a link to a Facebook group or event instead of a link to our calendar or event page

    1. I remember a SVP overseeing communications of an R1 university telling me once that they absolutely wouldn’t use a free Web2.0 service to convert their university news or magazines into easy-to-read e-book formats. “Why would we subvert our brand value into a third party?” A week later they put Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube links/logos on the footer of every web page the university controlled.

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      1. I once had an editor say things like. “Don’t pay this on the website tonight, we don’t want to scoop ourselves.”

        There is value in free services, as long as they don’t hinder you in any way.

        For instance: I can’t stand how Issuu wraps ads around a paid client’s content.

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