School teachers' vlogs stir controversy

A petition filed on the Cheong Wa Dae website urges the state to prohibit teachers from recording vlogs in classrooms. Captured from Cheong Wa Dae website

By Bahk Eun-ji

Teachers recording video clips in classrooms for their vlogs, in which students often appear, is causing a stir here.

Some say teachers should be allowed to record such content as a part of their creative activities, while others voiced concerns over the possibility of students' identities and other personal information being exposed without their or their parents' permission, and teachers being distracted from their own duties and job of teaching.

A growing number of teachers are creating vlogs of their daily lives, and uploading the recorded content on social media and YouTube. Clips include their morning routine of going to work, preparing for classes, communicating with students and eating meals.

Under the Public Officials Act, civil servants can carry out YouTube activities which are regarded as creative activities in private life, such as hobbies, leisure, and self-development, which are not subject to regulations.

According to guidelines from the Ministry of Education, teachers can engage in such activities after receiving approval from their school principal, and the ministry encourages online activities if they are related to education.

Although not illegal, some parents are raising concerns that their children's faces, names and daily lives in the classroom can be exposed to random people through the videos.

On Thursday, a petition was filed on Cheong Wa Dae's website seeking to prohibit teachers from recording vlogs at work.

“If you enter keywords such as 'teacher vlog' on YouTube, you can easily learn that many teachers are filming vlogs in classrooms,” the petitioner wrote.

“In many cases, the teachers didn't take proper measures to protect the privacy of children, such as blurring their faces and changing their voices. Some children's names are also heard in the videos,” the petitioner said. “I'm so concerned that children can become targets of crime with their personal information being disclosed.”

The petitioner said that while teachers promised to get the consent of the children and parents, many of the latter find it hard to refuse, because they are afraid of the possible consequences.

“Teachers have their main job, teaching. By engaging in a side job of being a YouTuber, they would be distracted from their main job,” they added.

One parent wrote on an internet community, “Even if my child's face is blurred, I don't think I would feel comfortable if videos of my child's appearance or daily life are uploaded online.”

On the other hand, some argue that there is a positive aspect to the teachers' vlogging activities.

The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) issued a statement, Monday, saying teachers who vlog are playing the role of a communicator with their students especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is also a positive function of developing professionalism by sharing information with colleagues about teaching skills and reflecting on their performance in classes and work,” the KFTA said in the statement.

“As there is a positive aspect of the teachers' vlogs, we need to set proper guidelines to revive educational purposes rather than unconditionally banning them.”