Ethics Institute Speaks to Harding School District about AI, Social Media, and Ethics
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What should I think about before posting or commenting on a social media platform? What should I think about before engaging with social media or AI? What should I think about before giving out any of my personal identifiable information online?
These were questions the Ethics Institute asked the Harding Township School District in its presentations on ethics, social media, and AI. The institute was invited to speak to the Harding middle school population, as well as a collection of parents, about ways to think about how they are ethically interacting in our digital world.
In particular, Harding schools were interested in the REBOOT Jr. program, established last year as a Middle School chapter of the Resetting Ethical Boundaries On Our Technology (REBOOT) program in the Upper School. REBOOT Jr. is a committee for students, by students, that prompts middle school peers to enjoy the benefits of technology through an ethical lens while also understanding its risks and setting personal digital boundaries.
The first session, hosted by Anna Conti, Associate Director of the Ethics Institute, and Alicia Regnault, Ed Tech Support Specialist and REBOOT Jr. lead, also featured former REBOOT Jr. leaders Eva Obalde ’29 and Rhiya Parmar ’29. The evening session, for parents, featured Jenna Carey ’26. In both sessions, participants wanted to hear about the students’ experiences with REBOOT and how they’re participating ethically within our social media landscapes.
“We were very excited to have this very important conversation with students, faculty, and parents in Harding,” says Ms. Conti. “The presentation focused on what all of us need to be thinking about when engaging online. As our digital landscape continues to shift, knowing what questions to ask, and what conversations to have, will be critical.”
“One of the goals of the Ethics Institute is to involve members of the greater community in our vision to empower the world to live ethically,” says Karen Rezach, Director of the Ethics Institute. “Networking with other school communities, both public and private, is the best way to achieve that vision. I’m grateful to our REBOOT leaders and the community of the Harding Township Middle School for taking part in this collaborative effort.”