Study Finds College Students Expect Safety and Privacy on Social Media
This seems to defy common sense. If there’s one place no one should expect safety and privacy, it’s on social media.
Carl Straumsheim of Inside Higher Ed reports.
When to Intervene
“I wish Gina would die!! aaaargh! I think I might kill her tomorrow! Stick a knife rihht in her! LOL!”
Students, faculty members and administrators agree: If they came across a student spewing discriminatory slurs or physical threats on social media, the author should receive a warning or face some form of disciplinary action from his or her institution.
But does that responsibility give colleges and universities the right to actively monitor students on social networks? No way, students say, according to a report that explores whether universities have a duty to involve themselves in online conversations to protect faculty, staff and students.
At least that was the case in 2011, when John Rowe conducted the research project at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, where he serves as academic registrar. As his report “Student Use of Social Media: When Should the University Intervene?” appeared in the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management last month, Rowe said he thinks the findings apply to Western institutions in general — not just to those in Australia.
“The issues I looked at are clearly not going away,” Rowe said in an email. “Use of social media is so pervasive now that I think society will continue to have to find ways to deal with the downsides.”
The conflicting opinions in the report illustrate the thin line institutions must walk to balance student safety and privacy. From a safety standpoint, it may be tempting to monitor social media on the off-chance that students voice a complaint not shared through official channels — or, worse, telegraph an intent to harm themselves or fellow students.
Students expect both safety and privacy on social media, study finds (Inside Higher Ed | News)
Comments
“Study Finds College Students Expect Safety and Privacy on Social Media”
The first thing that comes to mind is “Bwahahahahahahaha! Really?”
And these are supposed to be our best and brightest?
There needs to be a new required freshman course in every curriculum called “Reality 101” and it should be taught by a small business owner.
The statement in the headline does indeed seem to defy common sense, but that’s probably because it isn’t at all what the article is actually about.
The article makes it fairly clear that students don’t think that school administrators should be snooping through their social media postings looking for things to be offended about.
“posts, such as those containing physical threats or racism, sexism or homophobia … may warrant … some form of disciplinary action”
Yes, I can see why students would be unenthusiastic about anonymous busybodies looking for excuses to harass them.
“‘Free speech is a fine line,’ Gregory said.”
No, it isn’t.