There is growing concern that our teachers are being left vulnerable to online threats which have the potential to threaten their professional reputation and even their very livelihood. One recent case saw a well respected New Zealand head teacher falsely accused of accessing inappropriate material on his computer. Despite his innocence, he lost his job, his home and has since moved abroad. There was also reputational damage to the school.

This paper is written in response to this and many similar cases. It seeks to bring wider attention to these issues and offers some guidance on steps which can be taken to minimise the risks to schools and teachers.