Headteachers were today issued with guidance on dealing with social networking campaigns in response to complaints about intimidation and personal attacks on staff.
The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) said the fastest growing source of calls to its advice line involved misuse of Facebook and other social networking sites.
The union said headteachers had "effective" strategies in place to deal with misuse of social networking by pupils and staff but were "virtually defenceless" when the perpetrators were from the wider community.
The misuse of social networking sites includes personal attacks on staff and "unsubstantiated" allegations about management decisions, the union said.
Fuelled by technology and encouraged by anonymity, rumours and gossip easily grow into petitions and campaigns, the union said.
Advice issued by the union includes tips on updating school discipline and "acceptable use" policies to include the use of social networking sites.
Headteachers are also being advised on how to prevent the escalation of problems, how to contact service providers to request the removal of items, and when to contact police or local safeguarding teams.
The NAHT has called on Facebook and other social networking sites to respond more quickly to reports of abuse and implement "streamlined" mechanisms for reporting such abuse.
NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby said: "Parents have a right to express their views and complaints should be heard - schools can only benefit from constructive feedback.
"Too often, though, social networking sites are a medium for the unreasonable and the unprincipled and have a momentum out of all proportion to reality.
"The lack of accountability or moderation can whip up a cycle of abuse and sustained intimidation, causing immense harm."
A Facebook spokeswoman said: "Facebook has a real name culture which provides greater accountability as, unlike other websites, people must take responsibility for their actions.
"Facebook has clear rules about content which can be posted on the site and we provide people with robust mechanisms to report content or activity that breaches our terms.
"These include report links on nearly every page of our site for members, whilst non-members can report content via through the help centre on www.facebook.com.
"Reports of a serious nature, such as bullying or harassment, are prioritised and reviewed by a team of trained assessors within 24 hours.
"Facebook has worked hard to develop these reporting mechanisms but the reality is that many discussions that take place on Facebook reflect those that are happening offline.
"However, while you can't report a conversation outside the school gates or easily stop a person sending abusive, anonymous emails, Facebook gives people the tools to report offensive content they are concerned about.
"Having the tools to report content in this way gives people more control over what is said about them on Facebook than over the wider web where few such controls exist."
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"Facebook has clear rules about content which can be posted on the site and we provide people with robust mechanisms to report content or activity that breaches our terms"
Rubbish. There is stuff on Facebook that is inflammatory and has not been removed before, some of the language on Facebook is a disgrace and there should be filters on the website that stop the filth going on there.
Parents should have more sense and respect than commenting on Facebook about schools and teachers performances. If they feel that strongly to whinge about it to their friends,their friends friends, THEIR FRIENDS and on it goes, then get an appointment to see the Head Teacher. Be an adult !!
As Facebook spokesperson has stated, "people must take responsibility for their actions"
i suppose they will have to give them lines as they wont do detention.perhaps if some teachers were more compitent then they might have been getting praised instead.
Teaching the children of the underclass gets worse and worse.
'Parent power'.
The only power parents should get is being rigged up to an ECT machine.