Social Networking - Serving its Purpose?

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/ defines a social network as a social structure made up of individual or organizations called 'nodes' which are connected by one or more specific types of interdependency. The two networks at the focus of this narrative  is http://www.myspace.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/ .

Facebook is a social network service and website.It is intended to connect friends, family and business associates.

Myspace is also a social network service that allows you to create a profile page that you can use to meet new friends. Both networks have been found in the middle of libelous and slanderous situations in the education system, administrators especikally have found themselves at the mercy of the Net-Gen kids as they weave their way in and our of cyberspace blazing a trail of libel and mayhem. Libel is defined as the publication in words, photos, pictures or symbols of false statements of fact that harm another's reputation.Many social networking cases are reacted through libel and many times the 1st Amendment is cited but it is being clearly indicated; that the 1st Amendment will not protect them from libel. Students have been insulting teachers for centuries, but the Internet has raised the level of insult from crude blackboard drawings to posts potentially available to scores of people who sign on to blogs or social networking sites.

 In my research and readings I found many such instances that had my hair standing on end. The lengths students will go through when they despise a teacher.There were many more incidences found connected to Myspace than Facebook regarding educators. In one such incident a principal sued four students for creating a fake profile on Myspace. He deemed it as 'demeaning and demoralizing'. He sued for defamation of character, stating that his reputation was damaged, he was humiliated and the profile affected his ability to earn. The 1st Amendment was cited in this case because of the 'free speech' component. It is being realized though the free speech DOES NOT  protect you from the culpability of your actions.
Appeals Court to hear Myspace Case
 In Pennsylvania, a District judge ruled against a middle school student who created a Myspace page mocking her school principal as a pedophile and sex addict. Again the 1st Amendment was brought forward stating that her actions were protected because they were non-threatening, non-obscene and a parody. The judge viewed the case in three categories:

• Were the 1st Amendment rights violated by the school?
• Were the district's policies unconstitutionallly vague or overboard?
• Did the school violate the parents parental rights?

The judge rejected all three arguments citing Tinker V Des Moines Independendent School District (1969) which in a nutshell states that 'students and teachers do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the school gate'. Myspace was not considered political speech unlike the political protest censored by school officials in Tinker. Absent material and substantial disruption of the learning environment, interference with the educational process, or the creation of a harmful condition in the school, student 1st Amendment rights shall not be abridged. Undifferentiated fear or apprehension on the part of school officials is not enough to abridge these protections. Although the Supreme Court has made it clear that students possess 1st Amendment rights, it has consistently held that student speech and press activities are not immune from control by administrators and teachers. Based upon reasonable pedagogical concerns, school principals and teachers may restrict student 1st Amendment rights when content is considered vulgar, obscene or libelous, whether the content is expressed orally or in writing (Bethel School District V Fraser, 1986 Hazelwood V Kuhlmeier , 1988).
One administrator who sued a student for libel because of information posted about her on a fake Myspace page; commented that social networking sites are very dangerous as there are no restrictions. The only avenue open to holding these students accountable is to sue them.Social networking sites, such as MySpace, market themselves as places in cyberspace for people to meet and communicate, often connecting using clever aliases. But, law enforcement officials say, children who join these sites may be putting themselves in harm's way . People  should know the difference between using social networking for a good reason and for things that would be hurtful. It was very sad for me to see how many students use these sites to tarnish the images of educators - I had to wonder 'Who's next? will it be me or a known colleague?
 It was comforting to see that there were some active 1st Amendment organizations dedicated to protecting student rights recognize that in the Internet age, it is even more important that students understand the possible consequences of their speech. The popularity of social networking sites including Myspace and Facebook is increasing. One attorney stated that it would be tragic if schools prevented students from blogging. A better approach he claimed would be to teach them how to blog well, how to understand their rights and that of others and the principles surrounding journalism.

School Policies

    My school does not have a policy on social networking sites. This is so because these sites are blocked to everyone using the school's network. As soon as you try to log into these sites you get a message that says 'ACCESS DENIED'  This effectively deals with this type of problem on school property but you never know when it will surface somewhere else. There is also an internet policy in place governing the use of specific internet sites that both parents and students have to sign to. Although cell phones can pose as grave a problem as the computer, in my elementary setting, there is hardly room as a 'No Cellphone Policy' is strongly enforced.

Recommendations

I'll leave you with a few tips on how to spot a fake Myspace profile. This will save administrators and other users, the grief that you go through when your life is thrashed through a fake profile.                               

• Begin by looking at the number of friends the Myspace profile has.
•  Next look at the pictures. If the pictures are professional or if you just see body parts, odds are good it's a fake Myspace profile.
• Another give away of fake Myspace profiles is the comments section. Fake profiles don't bother to send out genuine comments, so they will have comments added by "bots" like, "Thanks for Adding Me".
• Always keep in mind that you don't know who you are talking to on Myspace when you meet someone new there and use caution

 To my fellow educators out there; this cyber world is a tough world to live in. We have to be on high alert at all times, live an exemplary live that when the 'fake profile' hits the web; there is someone to say that doesn't sound like something you would do. Remember the 1st Amendment does not make students immune from control by administrators and teachers.

Read more: How to Spot a Fake Profile on Myspace | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4522056_spot-fake-profile-myspace.html#ixzz13oJqAaSy