Diversity University Facing off: Students and Facebook.com Maureen Doyle Kristen Funk Jaime Madden Melissa Murlless

Diversity UniversityDiversity UniversityFacing off: Students and Facing off: Students and

Facebook.comFacebook.comMaureen DoyleMaureen Doyle

Kristen FunkKristen FunkJaime MaddenJaime Madden

Melissa MurllessMelissa Murlless

What is Facebook.com

?•Facebook.com is an interactive, image-Facebook.com is an interactive, image-laden directory allowing students to laden directory allowing students to share lifestyles and attitudes. share lifestyles and attitudes.

•Allows students to network within their Allows students to network within their institution, as well as outside the institution, as well as outside the campus.campus.

•Students can join groups with similar Students can join groups with similar interests, share pictures and list events.interests, share pictures and list events.

•Students are able to get reconnected Students are able to get reconnected with old friends and meet new people.with old friends and meet new people.

Facebook.com Statistics and

Facts•Facebook.com supports 2000 colleges, from 2- Facebook.com supports 2000 colleges, from 2- year community colleges to 4- year institutions.year community colleges to 4- year institutions.

•Facebook.com supports 3.85 million members, Facebook.com supports 3.85 million members, which is 85% of the above population. which is 85% of the above population.

•60% of students log in daily, 85% log in at 60% of students log in daily, 85% log in at least once a week and 93% log in a least once a least once a week and 93% log in a least once a month. month.

•250 million hits everyday, ranking 9250 million hits everyday, ranking 9thth overall in overall in Internet traffic.Internet traffic.

•The average college student spends 17 The average college student spends 17 minutes per day using Facebook.com.minutes per day using Facebook.com.

Stats retrieved from www. las.iastate.edu/newnews/bugejafacebook.html and www.techcruch.com and Chronicle of Higher Education.

http://www.techcruch.com/

Why do students build a

Facebook.com profile?

•Identity experimentationIdentity experimentation

•Social networking and community buildingSocial networking and community building

•Ability to express themselves normally through Ability to express themselves normally through blogs, pictures and personal informationblogs, pictures and personal information

•Peer pressure or word of mouthPeer pressure or word of mouth

•Dating and relationshipsDating and relationships

•Finding more information on classmatesFinding more information on classmates

•Curiosity about an internet communityCuriosity about an internet community

Issues: What do students need to

know?LegalLegal

•Copyright lawsCopyright laws

•Students will be held responsible for Students will be held responsible for uploading materials from a 3uploading materials from a 3rdrd party without party without permission.permission.

•Terms and AgreementsTerms and Agreements

•Students need to be aware of current terms Students need to be aware of current terms that they are being held responsible for, that they are being held responsible for, which may change without notice at any time.which may change without notice at any time.

•It is a student’s responsibility to review It is a student’s responsibility to review updated terms. updated terms.

•Facebook.com has the right to terminate Facebook.com has the right to terminate membership without notice.membership without notice.

•Facebook.com is not liable for what students Facebook.com is not liable for what students post on their profiles.post on their profiles.


know?LegalLegal

•Hate SpeechHate Speech

•Hate speech is defined as that which may Hate speech is defined as that which may be psychologically damaging to a person.be psychologically damaging to a person.

•Students will be held responsible for verbal Students will be held responsible for verbal or written statements and perceived actions or written statements and perceived actions about someone that are hateful and about someone that are hateful and threatening.threatening.

•Students should be aware of an institution’s Students should be aware of an institution’s policy on freedom of speech because they will policy on freedom of speech because they will be held liable by the institution, not be held liable by the institution, not Facebook.com.Facebook.com.


know?LegalLegal

•Harassment/CrimesHarassment/Crimes

•Any type of harassment is prohibited by Any type of harassment is prohibited by Facebook.com and students will be held Facebook.com and students will be held responsible by the institution as well as the responsible by the institution as well as the local authorities.local authorities.

•Example: A group was created based on Example: A group was created based on the idea of wanting to “sleep” with a the idea of wanting to “sleep” with a particular professor and students involved particular professor and students involved were required to go through the student were required to go through the student judicial system.judicial system.


know?LegalLegal

•Harassment/CrimesHarassment/Crimes

•Students should be aware that if they put Students should be aware that if they put incriminating photos and/or information incriminating photos and/or information about themselves or other individuals on about themselves or other individuals on their profile, they will be held liable by the their profile, they will be held liable by the authorities.authorities.

•Example: Students posted pictures of Example: Students posted pictures of others who had rushed the football field others who had rushed the football field and caused a great deal of damage. The and caused a great deal of damage. The local police logged on to Facebook.com local police logged on to Facebook.com and were able to make arrests based on and were able to make arrests based on the information.the information.


know?LegalLegal

•Students will be held accountable to the Students will be held accountable to the institution’s student code of conduct, both on-institution’s student code of conduct, both on-campus and off-campus, because the student is campus and off-campus, because the student is ultimately affiliated with the university.ultimately affiliated with the university.

Facebook.com’s “terms of use” policy tells Facebook.com’s “terms of use” policy tells participants that they may not post “any participants that they may not post “any content that we deem to be harmful, content that we deem to be harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, vulgar, threatening, abusive, harassing, vulgar, obscene, hateful, or racially, ethnically or obscene, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable.”-Brock Read in the otherwise objectionable.”-Brock Read in the Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education


know?PrivacyPrivacy

•Students should be aware of the privacy Students should be aware of the privacy settings available to them when setting up and settings available to them when setting up and managing their profile.managing their profile.

•Students need to know how to contact Students need to know how to contact Facebook.com given legal issues, concerns or Facebook.com given legal issues, concerns or questions that may arise while being a member questions that may arise while being a member of the website.of the website.

•Students should be sensible when including Students should be sensible when including personal information on their profile, as privacy personal information on their profile, as privacy cannot be guaranteed.cannot be guaranteed.

•Identity theft is an on-going issue when using Identity theft is an on-going issue when using the Internet.the Internet.


know?PersonalPersonal

•Students should be aware of the ability of Students should be aware of the ability of future employers to peruse Facebook.com future employers to peruse Facebook.com profiles. Companies are using this to find out profiles. Companies are using this to find out about the character of their potential employee, about the character of their potential employee, as well as peruse for information about race, as well as peruse for information about race, gender and sexuality, which are prohibited in gender and sexuality, which are prohibited in hiring decisions.hiring decisions.

•Parents may have access as well and are able Parents may have access as well and are able to view friends, roommates and events that may to view friends, roommates and events that may be on student’s profile. be on student’s profile.

•When posting class schedules, students should When posting class schedules, students should be aware that anyone has access to their be aware that anyone has access to their whereabouts, unless correct privacy settings whereabouts, unless correct privacy settings are intact.are intact.

•Students cannot “take-back” the photos, Students cannot “take-back” the photos, journals, etc. that they incorporate into their journals, etc. that they incorporate into their profiles. It becomes a permanent record!profiles. It becomes a permanent record!

Implications for Student

Affairs•Universities should include orientation Universities should include orientation sessions regarding Facebook.com to educate sessions regarding Facebook.com to educate students about what is okay and what is not students about what is okay and what is not okay to include on a profile.okay to include on a profile.

•Residence hall staff should be included in Residence hall staff should be included in reminding students about possible ramifications reminding students about possible ramifications of the careless use of Facebook.com.of the careless use of Facebook.com.

•Student affairs professionals should be aware Student affairs professionals should be aware of what their student workers are posting on of what their student workers are posting on their profiles at work.their profiles at work.

•Supervisor needs to ensure it is in line with Supervisor needs to ensure it is in line with departmental ethics.departmental ethics.

•Facebook.com should be utilized by student Facebook.com should be utilized by student affairs professionals to build community and affairs professionals to build community and enhance social networking. In other words, “if enhance social networking. In other words, “if you can’t beat them, join them.”you can’t beat them, join them.”

Facebook.com Orientation

ActivityTitle:Title: “Information Free-for-All”“Information Free-for-All”

Idea:Idea: To get students to understand how information on To get students to understand how information on their profiles can be used and their profiles can be used and that not everything may be that not everything may be as it seems.as it seems.

Instructions:Instructions:

Form a circle with your group of students. Each Form a circle with your group of students. Each student is to secretly write student is to secretly write three facts about three facts about themselves on a piece of paper, crumble it up and throw it themselves on a piece of paper, crumble it up and throw it into the into the middle of the circle. When students begin to middle of the circle. When students begin to write things down, pick out write things down, pick out five students and instruct five students and instruct them to secretly write believable lies, instead of them to secretly write believable lies, instead of personal facts. Afterwards, each student goes into the personal facts. Afterwards, each student goes into the middle of the circle and middle of the circle and picks out one of the crumbled picks out one of the crumbled pieces of paper. One by one, students are to read pieces of paper. One by one, students are to read the the given given information to everyone in the circle. The group is information to everyone in the circle. The group is then to guess then to guess who the information belongs to. Once all who the information belongs to. Once all students have gone, the facilitator will students have gone, the facilitator will ask if any of the ask if any of the students lied about themselves. Students who were picked students lied about themselves. Students who were picked will will then raise their hands. The facilitator will end by then raise their hands. The facilitator will end by making the point that all making the point that all information on Facebook.com information on Facebook.com may not be factual and that care should be taken, may not be factual and that care should be taken, both both when creating when creating and reading profiles.and reading profiles.

Necessity of Facebook.com

Tutorial•Students should become educated consumers Students should become educated consumers of Facebook.com:of Facebook.com:

•Need to be aware of permanency of Need to be aware of permanency of information included in profiles.information included in profiles.

•Be aware of the privacy settings.Be aware of the privacy settings.

•Need to know that they will be held Need to know that they will be held accountable to the institutions standards and accountable to the institutions standards and the law.the law.

•Need to be aware that potential employers, Need to be aware that potential employers, faculty members, residence hall directors and faculty members, residence hall directors and parents may be looking at their profiles to parents may be looking at their profiles to find out about their character.find out about their character.

•Need to be aware of the misuse of Need to be aware of the misuse of Facebook.com by other students (i.e. stalking Facebook.com by other students (i.e. stalking and harassment).and harassment).

Motivating Factors

•Content included in the tutorial is information Content included in the tutorial is information that students do not typically know when they that students do not typically know when they sign up for a Facebook.com profile.sign up for a Facebook.com profile.

•Since students are held accountable for Since students are held accountable for knowing this information, this program is a knowing this information, this program is a good opportunity to help educate them.good opportunity to help educate them.

•If students are not educated on what is allowed If students are not educated on what is allowed by Facebook.com, they risk being held liable by by Facebook.com, they risk being held liable by the institution and local law enforcement, as the institution and local law enforcement, as well as compromising their personal privacy and well as compromising their personal privacy and integrity.integrity.

•Both the orientation presentation and tutorial Both the orientation presentation and tutorial are proactive measures the institution can take are proactive measures the institution can take regarding on-line safety.regarding on-line safety.

•In educating our students we may be able to In educating our students we may be able to minimize the potential liability at an minimize the potential liability at an institutional level.institutional level.

Tutorial Content Outline

•Section OneSection One

•General Information about Facebook.comGeneral Information about Facebook.com

•Three (3) questions regarding the general Three (3) questions regarding the general information section.information section.

•Section TwoSection Two

•Legal/Privacy InformationLegal/Privacy Information

•Eight (8) questions regarding the Eight (8) questions regarding the legal/privacy section.legal/privacy section.

•Section ThreeSection Three

•Personal Use and RamificationsPersonal Use and Ramifications

•Four (4) questions regarding personal use Four (4) questions regarding personal use and ramification section.and ramification section.

Facebook.com Tutorial


Welcome Students!

This tutorial will inform you about Facebook.com and networking on the Internet. Diversity University is responsible for any illegal activities that take place on Facebook.com; therefore our students must be educated on what is allowed by Facebook.com. The tutorial contains a general information section, a legal/privacy section and a personal use and ramification section. This will serve to give you the knowledge you need to use Facebook.com in a legal and ethical manner.

In order to gain access to Diversity University’s network, you are required to complete the tutorial and get an 80% or better. If you receive an 80% or better you will be given a temporary password at the conclusion of the tutorial. You will be able to gain access to the network using your login and the temporary password. After logging in, you will be prompted to change your password to a permanent one of your choice.

Please read all the sections before answering the questions, as you will not be allowed to take this tutorial twice in one day. If you have any further questions about Facebook.com or the information contained within, please contact either Facebook.com or the Student Life office on campus. Good Luck!


General Information and Questions

Facebook.com is an interactive, image-laden directory allowing students to share lifestyles and attitudes. It allows for students to network within their university, as well as outside the campus. Students can join groups with similar interests, share pictures and list events. Students are also able to get reconnected with old friends and meet new people. It is important to note that individuals such as university faculty, staff and alumni are able to create Facebook.com profiles.

Students build profiles for various reasons, including identity experimentation; social networking and building community; the ability to express themselves normally through blogs, pictures and personal information; peer pressure or word of mouth; dating and relationships; finding more information on classmates; and curiosity about an internet community.

Students must be enrolled in the university and have a university issued e-mail address. Students between the ages of 13 and 18 are encouraged to have parental permission to establish a Facebook.com profile.


General Information Questions

1. Eligible members of Facebook.com are:

• Students only

• Students and alumni

• Students, faculty, staff and alumni

2. Students can only network with:

• Students in their own university

• Students attending schools that are supported by Facebook.com

• Any college student in the United States


3. Students under the age of 18 must obtain parental permission to create a Facebook.com profile?

• True

• False

Legal and Privacy Issues and Questions

Students should be aware of copyright laws and know that they will be held responsible for uploading materials from a 3rd party without permission.

Facebook.com terms and agreements should be understood before registering for a profile. Terms and agreements are subject to change and students should be up to date on current terms that they are being held responsible for. Facebook.com has the right to terminate any membership without notice and will not be held liable for what students post on profiles.


Hate speech is defined as that which psychologically injures a person.

Students will be held responsible for verbal or written statements and perceived actions about someone that are hateful and threatening. Students should be aware of an institution’s policy on freedom of speech because they will be held liable by the institution and the law, not by Facebook.com.

Any type of harassment is prohibited by Facebook.com. Students will be held responsible by the institution as well as the local authorities. An example deals with a “friend” group created based on the idea of wanting to “sleep” with a particular professor; all students involved were required to go through the student judicial process.

Students should be aware that if they put incriminating photos and/or information about themselves or other individuals, they will be held liable by the authorities. An example deals with students that posted pictures of others who had rushed the football field and caused a great deal of damage. The local police logged on to Facebook.com and were able to make arrests based on the information.

Students will be held accountable to the institution’s student code of conduct, both on-campus and off-campus, because this student is ultimately affiliated with the university.


Students should be aware of the privacy settings available to them when setting up and managing their profile. Students need to know how to contact Facebook.com given legal issues, concerns or questions that may arise while being a member of the website. Examples of types of contacts for Facebook.com include: Advertising, Business Development, Help, Press Inquiries and Privacy. Students should be sensible when including personal information on their profile, as privacy cannot be guaranteed. Identity theft is an on-going issue when using the Internet.

Legal Issues and Privacy Questions

4. It is legal to upload material from a third party without permission?

• True

• False


5. Which of the following statements is false?

• It is the students’ responsibility to review updated terms of usage

• Facebook.com has the right to terminate membership without notice

• Facebook.com is liable for what students post on their profile

6. Students cannot post something that is psychologically damaging to another person?

• True

• False


7. If students participate in any type of harassment, they will be held accountable by:

• Local law enforcement

• Facebook.com

• The university and the local law enforcement

8. When participating in illegal behavior, all of the following are true, except:

• Students are not held accountable at all

• Students can be held accountable by local authorities

• Students can be held accountable by their institution


9. Privacy settings are not an option on Facebook.com?

• True

• False

10. Total privacy can be guaranteed by Facebook.com for:

• The duration of membership

• The first year of membership

• Total privacy cannot be guaranteed


11. All of the following are types of contact for Facebook.com, except:

• Business development

• Chat

• Press Inquiries

Personal Use and Ramifications Section and Questions

Students should be aware of the ability of future employers to peruse Facebook.com profiles. Companies are using Facebook.com to find out about the character of their potential employees, as well as search for information about race, gender and sexuality, which are questions that are not allowed to be asked during an interview. Parents may have access as well allowing them to view friends, roommates and events that may be on a student’s profile. When posting class schedules, students should be aware that anyone has access to their whereabouts, unless correct privacy settings are intact. Students cannot “take-back” the photos, journals, etc. which they incorporate into their profiles. It becomes permanent record on the Internet!


14. After removing a photo from my Facebook.com profile, it is no longer available for viewing on the Internet?

• True

• False

12. It is legal for people outside the university to view student profiles?

• True

• False

13. Class schedules can only be viewed by:

• My friends only

• Students at the same institution

• Depends on my privacy settings


15. Race, gender, sexual orientation, all of which are included on a student’s Facebook.com profile, are not allowed as inquiries in a job interview?

• True

• False

Student must answer 12 of 15 questions correctly in order to receive a “B” grade on the on-line tutorial.

Congratulations, you received an 80%.

Your temporary password is: qt987!

Assessment of Programs

•Annual on-line survey will be administered at the Annual on-line survey will be administered at the beginning of every Spring semester.beginning of every Spring semester.

•Some of the questions from the tutorial will be Some of the questions from the tutorial will be included in the yearly survey.included in the yearly survey.

•Additionally, we will ask open-ended questions Additionally, we will ask open-ended questions to allow students the opportunity to suggest to allow students the opportunity to suggest changes to the programs.changes to the programs.

•One question will be a “yes” or “no” question One question will be a “yes” or “no” question that will address whether or not students use that will address whether or not students use Facebook.com more cautiously after being Facebook.com more cautiously after being educated through our programs. It will include educated through our programs. It will include an additional box for comments.an additional box for comments.

•Students will not be able to regain access to Students will not be able to regain access to the network until survey is completed.the network until survey is completed.

Feasibility of Programs

•Assessment results will be disseminated to a Assessment results will be disseminated to a Facebook.com Review Committee, as well as the following Facebook.com Review Committee, as well as the following departments on campus:departments on campus:

•Student LifeStudent Life

•Residence LifeResidence Life

•Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs

•Enrollment Management/Student AffairsEnrollment Management/Student Affairs

•New Student ProgramsNew Student Programs

•Higher level administrators as deemed necessaryHigher level administrators as deemed necessary

•A committee committed to reviewing the Facebook.com A committee committed to reviewing the Facebook.com educational programs will utilize survey results and educational programs will utilize survey results and updates made by Facebook.com to reevaluate and if need updates made by Facebook.com to reevaluate and if need be, restructure the tutorial and orientation programs.be, restructure the tutorial and orientation programs.

•Any updates to the programs will be implemented for Any updates to the programs will be implemented for the upcoming orientationthe upcoming orientation.

Faculty and Staff Concerns

•Increased standard of care if institution begins Increased standard of care if institution begins monitoring student’s profiles on Facebook.com.monitoring student’s profiles on Facebook.com.

•Take into consideration potential ethical violations Take into consideration potential ethical violations regarding Facebook.com, especially in student regarding Facebook.com, especially in student judicial or disciplinary situations.judicial or disciplinary situations.

•If faculty and staff have a Facebook.com profile, If faculty and staff have a Facebook.com profile, they must monitor their on-line interactions with they must monitor their on-line interactions with other membersother members

•How to utilize Facebook.com in order to create How to utilize Facebook.com in order to create productive and engaging on-line communities as productive and engaging on-line communities as supplements for classroom participation.supplements for classroom participation.

•Keep up to date on liabilities that they may be Keep up to date on liabilities that they may be facing regarding the use of Facebook.com, especially facing regarding the use of Facebook.com, especially if utilized for institutional purposes.if utilized for institutional purposes.

•Use of staff computers to access Facebook.com Use of staff computers to access Facebook.com during work hours.during work hours.

What We Learned

•As future student affairs professionals, the issues As future student affairs professionals, the issues arising from mediums like Facebook.com and arising from mediums like Facebook.com and MySpace.com are ones which we will be facing in the MySpace.com are ones which we will be facing in the near future.near future.

•On-line networking and social communities are not On-line networking and social communities are not going anywhere; we have learned that they are going anywhere; we have learned that they are important and potentially beneficial supplements to important and potentially beneficial supplements to working in an institution of higher education.working in an institution of higher education.

•We have a responsibility to keep educating not only We have a responsibility to keep educating not only our students, but ourselves and our peers, on the use our students, but ourselves and our peers, on the use and liabilities of these mediums.and liabilities of these mediums.

•Training programs in Residence Life and New Student Training programs in Residence Life and New Student Programs will need to be implemented in order to Programs will need to be implemented in order to educate staff (i.e. Resident Assistants and Orientation educate staff (i.e. Resident Assistants and Orientation Leaders) on handling issues surrounding these Leaders) on handling issues surrounding these mediums.mediums.

•Both time management and organization are Both time management and organization are important when taking on specialized projects, such as important when taking on specialized projects, such as a professional development case study.a professional development case study.

References

Arrington, M. (2005). Retrieved Feb. 13, 2006, from Facebook Arrington, M. (2005). Retrieved Feb. 13, 2006, from Facebook Users Sure are Passionate Web Users Sure are Passionate Web site: site: http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/Facebook/. http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/Facebook/.

Bugeja, M. J. (2006, January 27).Facing the facebook. Bugeja, M. J. (2006, January 27).Facing the facebook. The The Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education, pp. C. , pp. C.

Facebook, (2005). Retrieved February 2, 2006, from Privacy Facebook, (2005). Retrieved February 2, 2006, from Privacy Policy Web site: Policy Web site: http://www.facebook.com/policy.php. http://www.facebook.com/policy.php.

Iowa State University, (2006). Retrieved February 9, 2006, from Iowa State University, (2006). Retrieved February 9, 2006, from Greenlee School's Michael Greenlee School's Michael Bugeja explores impact of Bugeja explores impact of technology on education in new article Web site: technology on education in new article Web site: http://www.las.istate.edu/newnews/bugejafacebook.shtmlhttp://www.las.istate.edu/newnews/bugejafacebook.shtml

News, Views and Careers for All Higher Education, (2005). News, Views and Careers for All Higher Education, (2005). Retrieved February 9, 2006, from Retrieved February 9, 2006, from Cleaning Up Their Online Acts Cleaning Up Their Online Acts Web site: Web site: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/10/03/online. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/10/03/online.

Read, B. (2006, January 20).Think before you share. Read, B. (2006, January 20).Think before you share. The The Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education, pp. , pp. A38. A38.

Documents

Diversity University Facing off: Students and Facebook.com Maureen Doyle Kristen Funk Jaime Madden Melissa Murlless