Carsten Smith

Facebook Privacy

 

            I feel that schools should not have the right to search other people’s Facebook or Myspace accounts unless given the prior consent of the user. Unless they have a person that willingly testifies to that person having something on it that is against the schools conduct code. After all a person should have their privacy respected and left alone for the people that wish to see it.  Although I have nothing to hide I am sure that other people have or had things that they don’t want other people to see what has been put on Facebook or Myspace. Unless it is something that is extremely bad the user should be given a warning and a period of time once to dispose of the material whether it is theirs or someone else’s. If they don’t heed the warning then the school should take the appropriate action. I also think that what other people have done in the past should be noted but also forgiven and not be used against them unless it occurs again while attending that school. I think of it as like someone breaking into your house to find your personal records and all of your private information that you don’t want others to see.  I understand that it effects the esteem the self image of the school and the students of the school but some people make stupid decisions in their life that they know they shouldn’t have and have learned from it should not be judged by that for the rest of their lives. I think that all of the talk about schools searching lockers for drugs, weapons, etc… and schools searching their students’ or future students’ Facebook accounts or friend’s accounts for inappropriate content involving the students. People say that it is an invasion of their privacy and is a violation of their rights but I think that if is for the better of the person or persons effected by the problem action should be taken especially if it may result in the harming their self or others. After all the lockers are owned and maintained by the school so they have the right to look in them for questionable material and anything they wish to the locker its self but not the contents unless they are against they school’s rules/guidelines. I would rather be safe in my school if it means that schools can search lockers if they feel that there is something in there that can cause bodily harm to me. I think that what people put on Myspace or Facebook should be kept private and their wishes respected because that is their personal information which is their right to give to the people that they let see it not for just anyone to go and access and use against them.