Opinion Piece

Claire Wicke 

Intro to Media

P.6

Web Filters at School:

Something that is very commonly known at school is that teens are very into their phones. They use their phones for many different reasons including, social media, texting, taking photos, playing games, searching the internet and a lot more. But, have you ever been connected to school district WiFi and been restricted on certain social media and online sites? What kind of sites have been restricted on your phone while being connected? Here is my opinion on school web filters. 

Some of the popular sites that are restricted at my school include Snapchat, Instagram, Youtube, Spotify or other streaming apps, and even sometimes Google sites. 

Most students struggle with these restrictions because of sites that are blocked when trying to do a school project or research something. A lot of the times the site that the student is trying to get to is blocked, therefore forcing the student to not get the specific research they need. 

This has also happened to me where I try to get to certain websites and what shows up is a screen that says "This Website is Blocked," which is annoying and unfortunate when trying to do school related work. 

Even though some web filter situations that have students mad actually relate to school work, there is also popular social media sites that are blocked that make students not able to communicate with one another when needed or wanted. 

I personally have tried to send a text or Snapchat to a friend before because of a question, needing a ride, school work related, meeting up after school, even an emergency, and it does not go through because of the restrictions. 

When a student is connected to school WiFi and chooses to go on Snapchat, Instagram, a streaming sites, and a lot more, the site doesn't change, simply the site doesn't work, connect, or go through, which once again is very annoying when needing to send a something to a friend or parent when needed.

I understand that the districts goal in this is to make students go on their phones less and be on social media sites not as much, but a lot of the times when a student needs to communicate with another student, it is at school. I have tried to send a message to a friend before about homework/ school work questions, after school plans, needing something like money or essentials, and a lot more, and experienced the message not going through because of restrictions. 

These restrictions at times are clearly very annoying, and a little unrealistic. Most teachers understand that students in high school do need to communicate, so in this case, why have these restrictions that force the students to not communicate? 

Have you ever tried to send an important text to someone while being connected to school/ district wifi, but been restricted? Has it annoyed you as much as other students?