How Should Students Learn to Use the Social Network?

I recently read an article that cites how important it is for students to learn about using social networks.  What I really liked about this article is that a principal encourages his students to use social networks in the school.  This not only promotes technology, but it promotes using technology in effective and mature manners.  Too often students are using facebook, twitter, and other social networks in detrimental ways.  I have too often come across information that should be kept private.  Furthermore, these tidbits of information can often come back to haunt you.  At my work, we recently hired someone who we later found out had an adult themed website.  This was EXTREMELY problematic since I work with children in a positive environment.

I also really liked hearing about the "Around the World with 80 Schools."  This is a great idea.  Often Americans forget that there are a broad array of cultures in the world.  This project sounds amazing in that it will help emerse children in a culture rich environment and engage them into learning about ways to use the social network positively.

I hope that I will be able to help students constantly be in contact with people through positive social networks.  A few years ago I came across this article and, though it is outdated, I have been unable to find anything like it for more current times.  This article shows different social networks for the year 2007.  Though much has changed, it shows positive and negative connotation associated with these networks.  This is useful information because if a teacher plans on encouraging his/her students to use these networks, they should know the pros and cons.  My major question, however, is how do you continue to keep up, as a teacher, with the growing problems in the social network?