VCSTA FAQ: “Joining the Conversation” WEB: WWW.VCSTA.ORG EMAIL: [email protected] 1. How do I create a Facebook account? Go to www.facebook.com and sign up for a new account using a valid email address, a password and a name of your choosing. Facebook registration also requires your birthday and gender but you don’t need to enter these fields honestly. See point 3. 2. How do I create a Twitter account? Go to www.twitter.com and sign up for a new account using a valid email address, a password and a name of your choosing. Read more about this name in point 3. 3. Can I enter false information? For both Facebook and Twitter you can enter any name, age or sex but your email must be valid. It is recommended that you use your real name so that your colleagues can identify you when communicating. Accurate age and sex are nonessential. 4. How do I find and add the VCSTA to my accounts? From Facebook, enter “vancouver catholic schools teachers' association” in the search bar. From Twitter, enter “vcsta” in the search bar. In both cases, click on the VCSTA account that appears and you will be taken to the corresponding VCSTA page. In Facebook, click on the “Like” button to add the VCSTA to your Facebook news feed. In Twitter, click on the blue “Follow” button to add the VCSTA to your Twitter feed. You will now see any posts made by the VCSTA when you are signed into either your Facebook or Twitter accounts. VCSTA FAQ: “Joining the Conversation” WEB: WWW.VCSTA.ORG EMAIL: [email protected] 5. What personal information can people see if I choose to open a Facebook or Twitter account? Whether you wish to follow the VCSTA through Facebook and Twitter without posting anything or you want to contribute to the VCSTA online conversation, you will only be identifiable by the name and avatar image you chose during the account creation process. Any other information that you wish to share is entirely up to you according to your registration information and your account/security settings (see point 6). 6. Who can see me and how do I change my privacy settings to limit my visibility? You can access Facebook’s privacy settings by clicking on the cog icon at the top right of the screen and choosing “Privacy Settings”. If you set your visibility to “Friends” in any category, only your Facebook friends will see what you post. There are some exceptions to this rule, however. If you post on a public page (not your personal Facebook wall or those of your friends) your posts are visible to the public. Facebook is constantly changing its sharing policies so the best advice is to watch your privacy settings and only post what you are comfortable sharing with the public. Twitter’s privacy settings work differently. You can click on the same cog icon at the top right of the screen and choose “settings” to see if your “Tweet privacy” is set to protect you. If you wish to be seen only by those whom you give permission to see you, check the box next to “Tweet privacy”. This will make Twitter ask you to approve individuals who want to see your Tweets. Aside from this security measure, your Tweets are typically seen by anyone who thinks to look for you on Twitter. 7. Can I delete my Facebook or Twitter account if I change my mind? Facebook allows you to deactivate or delete your account. Deactivation hides your page and information but leaves your posts and shared items on other people’s pages. To delete your Facebook account, you need to go to this link and follow the prompts: https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account Twitter also allows you to deactivate your account from the very bottom of the “Settings” page. For more information, go to this link: https://twitter.com/settings/accounts/confirm_deactivation 8. Does it cost me any money to have a Facebook or Twitter account? No, Facebook and Twitter have no membership or activation fees. Both sites generate revenue from built in advertising banners and commercial sponsorship. In the case of Facebook, you can choose to pay for entertainment applications after you create an account but it will be made very clear to you that you are about to pay for a service. 9. I attend VCSTA meetings and check the website. Why should I have a Facebook/Twitter account? The VCSTA’s primary objective is improving and encouraging communication between the teachers and all levels of administration. In order for us to be effective in this effort we need to use the tools available to us. Facebook and Twitter have become reliable tools for communication that allow for all of us to be literally on the same page when it comes to sharing experiences and clarifying concerns.