Page 4 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 School Committee approves blocking social media sites on school-issued devices By Adam Swift R evere students looking for the latest TikTok challenge or for the latest posts on Instagram will no longer be able to do so on their school-issued Chromebooks. Last week, the School Committee voted to block social media sites on school-issued devices. The block does not extend to students’ personal smartphones and devices, but Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly said the committee could be looking at further measures to limit phone use in schools next year. “We have struggled, and we have had many challenges with social media in recent weeks between students not being kind to each other, and we also had the problem … with a nationwide TikTok that went out requesting that there be violence in schools,” said Kelly. “Fortunately, that didn’t happen, but we had to respond to that.” Kelly said that if the schools block the social media sites on the school devices, the district can at least bring down the overall temperature around the sites and lead to some times when the students are not impacted by social media. Kelly said there has also been input from parents about limiting the use of smartphones in classrooms. She said Revere High Principal Dr. John Perella will be meeting with the RHS Student Senate and other students for additional feedback on the issue. Cash Pay Guaranteed! "If it snows, you'll be working!" Kelly initially asked for feedback on blocking the social media sites from the School Committee, but the members said they were ready to move forward with the request and passed it as a late motion at last Happy New Year! Merry Christmas! 425r Broadway, Saugus (Rte. 1 South at Saugus Plaza Shopping Cntr.) MBTA Bus Route 429 781-231-1111 We are a Skating Rink with Bowling Alleys, Arcade and two TV’s where the ball games are always on! 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DIANNE KELLY Superintendent of Schools ber Susan Gravellese said she also supports future action on phone use in the classrooms. “There should be an area where the kids can drop them where the teachers can monitor them,” said Gravellese. “We all have heard from a lot of teachers that there is a lot of use in the classrooms. After we get through the blocks on the sites, I think we should have further discussion about it.” Better Business Bureau offers five resolutions for a fraud-free New Year T he loss of money and personal information and the perseverance of criminals continues with online purchases having the greatest risk of being a scam. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends adding a few precautionary steps to the New Year's resolution list, along with the weight loss and financial goals, to help make the upcoming days and months fraud-free. • Be cautious with email. Be wary of unsolicited emails from a person or a company. Remember, scammers can make emails look like they are from a legitimate business, government agency, or reputable organization (even BBB). Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails. • Never send money to strangers. If you haven’t met a person face-to-face, don’t send them money. This is especially true if the person asks you to transfer funds using a prepaid debit card or Cash App. Money sent to strangers in this way is untraceable, and once it is sent, there’s no getting it back. Scammers will try to trick you into panicking – so before making a move, think the situation through. Don’t fall for it! • Do research before making online payments and purchases. When shopping online, or if asked to make a payment online, research the retailer before entering payment information. Ask: Is this a person or business I know and trust? Do they have a working customer service number? Where is the company physically located? Would I be making payments through a secure server (https://....com)? Have I checked to see if others have complained? • Use your best judgment when sharing personal information. Sharing sensitive personal information with scammers opens the door to identity theft. Never share fi nancial information, birthdate, address or Social Security/health insurance/ Medicare number with an unsolicited caller. • Be social media smart. Make use of privacy settings on social media and only connect with people you know. Be careful about including personal information in your profi le and never reveal address and other sensitive information – even in a “fun” quiz. Scammers may use this information to make themselves pass as a friend or relative and earn your trust. Also, be careful when buying products you saw on social media. BBB Scam Tracker has received thousands of complaints about misleading Facebook and Instagram ads.
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