Writing about alcohol-fueled endeavors on your blog or posting a photo of yourself peeing on public buildings on Facebook may seem like a private act. You might assume that only your friends have the time or initiative to look. We sense that many students often believe that information shared online through social networking will never get back to anyone who matters. Like a parent, a teacher or a future employer. Or the police.
But recent news stories in college papers, including one in today’s Emerald, detail the dangers of putting incriminating information about yourself on Facebook or other personal sites. When posting information on sites, it’s vital to remember that the Internet is open and available to all. Even when sites such as Facebook require registration to access your profile, there are always avenues for savvy investigators to discover information that you don’t want advertised.
Potential employers are absolutely able to access Facebook profiles by obtaining a username and password from employees or prospective employees, especially when those employers are located on campus or visiting campus looking for student workers. If professionals in any job market view inappropriate profiles, some Facebookers may be destined to remain cluelessly unemployed.
Parents have likewise been known to discover similar facts about their underage students through various online blogging and networking tools.
And for anyone who doesn’t like getting arrested, it’s probably time to post less information about how often you break the law. Students nationwide have gotten into varying amounts of trouble over photos or groups involving alcohol consumption.
This month, students at an Emory residence center were told that they may face punishment from an Alcohol Conduct Council because of their group “Woodruff=Wasted.”
Even more concerning is the use of Facebook by Pennsylvania State University Police to identify individuals who rushed the field after an Oct. 8 football game. Similarly, it’s possible for the police to check Facebook for addresses where parties may occur. A public safety director at Georgia College & State University said early this month that Facebook has become a valuable, oft-used tool for determining parties that may become unruly. When students make a party public Facebook knowledge, law officials can easily get word of any wild, possibly underage get-together; this fact is especially important to remember when dorm parties are advertised on Facebook, as campus departments of safety are likely to be Facebook savvy.
Although Eugene police and the University’s Student Judicial Affairs said they don’t regularly use Facebook, it may only be a matter of time before they catch on to perusing this resource. Thus we suggest unjoining the “I was trashed in my Facebook pic” group, as well as “the cannabis club.”
And don’t forget: A picture is worth a thousand words. Drug paraphernalia or questionable surroundings in Facebook pictures offer police and parents ample opportunity to regulate illegal actions.
Unfortunately, the question is not whether students deserve a right to privacy in their online communications. The fact is that information posted on the Internet will almost certainly travel into the hands of someone unexpected. We suggest thinking twice before posting this weekend’s party pictures on Facebook.