Cyber Ethics for Facebook Pages

High School Reunion Pages

By Sigue Girando Planeta

Facebook one of the most popular networks used by people, offers the ability to unite them from any place of the planet they are able to make the connection from. 

Nothing new about High School Reunions, what is new is the fact that using this network in particular, people are able to share, information, videos, photos and all kind of comments, in some instances inappropriate.

But... when sharing becomes to much?

ETHICS you may consider to follow when you are a member of a High School Reunion Page on Facebook:

1. Get familiar with the members you lost contact with for a long period of time. Communicate with respect at all times. Or assume the consequences of your comments.
2. Do not assume that a funny story you know about some of your former classmates, are okay for you to share, without consulting with person involved.
3. Do not make remarks about how other people look. If this is a 30th anniversary, it is natural that some people gained weight, have gray hair, or not hair at all. They most look a little bit different than what they used to be during those years in high school. Duh!
4. If you think it was okay to bully your classmates back then, don’t even think for a moment it’s okay to continued doing so.
5. Never mention who was the boyfriend or girlfriend of other classmates, that should be their story to tell, not yours.
6. Behave like the responsible and mature adult you should be, the reunion is to remember when your were young, no to behave like one.
7. After many years, each classmate have their own life stories, let them tell the group. You tell yours.
8. Welcome spouses and partners to the group. Chances are that people have made families. 
9. Respect your former classmates the way they are. The same way you want to be respected.
10. Keep the information about the plans of the group on open view, so the members know exactly what is the plan.
11. Do not assume you are better than others just because of your life achievements, each member have achievements of their own.
12. Embrace friendship, stop making side groups with the purpose of leaving other outside, you are a grown up now. Do I really have to remind you of that?
13. During meetings for organization of activities, allow each member to participate equally. Don’t keep the mic on your hands, pass it out.
14. Don’t bring down others ideas just because you don’t like them. The group should work to make the reunion happen with the help of each one.
15. Appreciate the effort, no matter how big or how small each member offers. It’s a big family with the same period of life time experiences, the high school years. Respect and appreciate the hard work of those that will make it happen for you.
16. Embrace past, present and future.
17. Stop assuming you are better than... after all, if you were better than anybody else, why didn’t you attend a different high school.
18. Welcome those that are far away, that left not just the school, like you did, but even left their town, and their country and are more than happy to be back and enjoy beautiful memories of their young years.
19. If some of the key members, in charge of fundraising and other activities are feeling like there is so much work to be done, feeling tired, feeling like they are doing it on their own, in order to make the reunion happen, it is possible you are not allowing others to participate, and are making them feel not welcome. So stop complaining. 
20. Embrace love, hope, faith and life... maybe this is the last High School Reunion that some of your friends may attend.

Note: This list could be longer.

Bori Planet

Dedicated to my Class of 1985

Ponce High School

Ponce, Puerto Rico