Social networking plan for pupils
6 March 2013 Last updated at 13:25 ET
Pupils are to be given supervised access to social networking websites in schools under new plans from the education minister.
Leighton Andrews says he would rather pupils were taught how to stay safe online than use the sites in secret or unsupervised.
A head teachers union warned the plans were "not helpful".
In 2006 councils in Wales were told to ensure social networking sites, such as Facebook, were blocked in schools.
The Welsh government will now ask councils to take a more positive view of such sites.
What they will struggle to do is make sure that every individual child in every school is actually making safe use of these sites while at school
"Social networking sites have become integral to the day-to-day use of the internet, our young people know all about them and more importantly they want to use them," said Mr Andrews.
"Rather than them doing this in secret or in an unsupervised environment I'd prefer we teach them about how to stay safe online and how to make the most of the web in school.
"To help children and young people develop the skills and knowledge they need to become confident digital citizens, we need to teach them how to use the internet safely under supervision and independently.
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Social networking plan for pupils