Lecture #2 (Part 1) - Social media megaphone: Transparent Life Intensified

Questions and Answers: 

Background: In 2006, Stacy Snyder, a 25-year-old student teacher posted a picture on her MySpace profile that showed her in a pirate costume and drinking from a cup. The caption under the photo read ‘Drunken Pirate.’  Officials at Snyder’s university, Millersville University School of Education, asserted that her MySpace profile promoted drinking and prevented her from receiving a teaching degree. Snyder sued and claimed the University infringed upon her First Amendment right to free expression. - See more at: http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/Resources/CaseLaw/CaseLawDetails.aspx?cmsid=1362&termid=133&depth=2#sthash.lxUztMvU.dpuf

Background: In 2006, Stacy Snyder, a 25-year-old student teacher posted a picture on her MySpace profile that showed her in a pirate costume and drinking from a cup. The caption under the photo read ‘Drunken Pirate.’  Officials at Snyder’s university, Millersville University School of Education, asserted that her MySpace profile promoted drinking and prevented her from receiving a teaching degree. Snyder sued and claimed the University infringed upon her First Amendment right to free expression. - See more at: http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/Resources/CaseLaw/CaseLawDetails.aspx?cmsid=1362&termid=133&depth=2#sthash.lxUztMvU.dpu

Stacy Snyder

Background: In 2006, Stacy Snyder, a 25-year-old student teacher posted a picture on her MySpace profile that showed her in a pirate costume and drinking from a cup. The caption under the photo read ‘Drunken Pirate.’  Officials at Snyder’s university, Millersville University School of Education, asserted that her MySpace profile promoted drinking and prevented her from receiving a teaching degree. Snyder sued and claimed the University infringed upon her First Amendment right to free expression. 

1. What do you think of Stacy Snyder’s story? Should she be denied a degree for publicly endorsing drinking to her underage students?

In my opinion, Stacy Snyder's story is indeed an unfortunate case to her. I believe Stacy Snyder has no intention to "endorse drinking to her underage students" as the Millersville University School of Education alleged.

I am not agreeing that she should be denied a degree for publicly endorsing drinking to her underage students. Such claim by the university to denied her a degree is a excessive punishment and it is too heavy for her by intention of sharing photo with good faith and any malice intention of  "  endorsing drinking to her underage students"

Having say that,  to certain extent, Stacy Snyder need to bear the responsibility for sharing the photo. As a student teacher, she must realized that her  position made her a public employe. As such, her conduct can be deemed as unprofessional. Any acts or conducts will be watch by the public and she must control and behave herself.

student teacher position made her a public employee - See more at: http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/Resources/CaseLaw/CaseLawDetails.aspx?cmsid=1362&termid=133&depth=2#sthash.lxUztMvU.dpuf

To what extent do you believe that potential employers should explore social networking sites to validate the “goodness” of potential employees? Is there anything on your Facebook page that might turn off potential employers? If so, are you going to take any action?

 

In my opinion, it has gone too far for a potential employers to explore social networking sites to validate the “goodness” of potential employees based on the following reasons: 

(i)  Social networking or social media sometimes are used for private purpose to express their opinion and emotion, nothing more and nothing less. It will be gone too far for an employer to invade one's privacy by checking their behavior in social media and there should be some space for one to express their opinion and emotions.

(ii) The information obtained from the social media might not be accurate. An potential employee might appears 'good and professional" in the social media but it can not guarantee his/her quality in the  actual situation. By heavily relying on the  information from social media, it will not provide an accurate outcome.

(iii) What the potential employers sees might not be accurate at all times. Taking Stacy Snyder's case for example. what if Stacy Snyder is a very good teacher in fact ? She can be a top scholar in school and full of passion and love in teaching. She might be asked by her friends to make a "Drunken Pirate" pose for a photo session for the sake of fun ?  Will this be fair if she is being penalized by this act ? 

For me, there is nothing in my Facebook can turn off the potential employers. Having say that,i am definitely will take action to have control on the materials which i planned to post to public

2. The webcasting of funerals is an interesting example of the flatness of the world. Is this an invasion of privacy or do next-of-kin have the right to make such a decision? What other significant events in a person’s life might be suitable for webcasting? Identify at least three such events and then do some research to determine if webcasting of those events is already taking place.

There is no any issue at all in relation of the privacy. Funeral is meant to be attended by the public. The next of kin has the rights to do so and they are the one who is in the best person(s) to  decide for the deceased. 

The significant events in a person’s life might be suitable for webcasting are birthday celebration, wedding dinner, and graduation ceremony. These webcasting events are already taking place and getting comment worldwide. 

3.  Osama Bin Laden represents a very dark image for most Americans. His participation in the planning of the September 11th attacks will forever mark him as evil. Should people, like Rashard Mendenhall, who make positive or perhaps even neutral comments about terrorist like Bin Laden be fired from endorsement contracts? Can making such comments be considered grounds for termination of employment?  Maybe dismissal from your school as a student?

No. Rashard Mendenhall shuold never supposed to be fired from endorsement contract. It is all about the freedom of speech. Making such comments should not be considered as a grounds for termination of employment. Whether the comments are good or bad remarks of something, it is merely an opinion from someone based on their way of thinking. One should not be punished by having a "different" kind of view. 

4.  Very few people would question the service and commitment of military personnel to our country. The two sergeants who created the YouTube video openly criticized Delta Airlines for its charging of baggage fees to military personnel. Is this open form of criticism of businesses and their practices acceptable? Will it help businesses be more accountable to customers?

Yes, there is no any issue of this type of open form of criticism of business and these practices are acceptable. It will help the business become more accountable. This is because if a criticism has a ground, there should not be any issue of using whatever form or methods to express their opinion including using YouTube.

5. The use of Facebook (or any other social networking site) can truly make a person's life transparent, available for the whole world to see. Should there be legislation regulating the openness of your life on the Internet? Can we expect society somehow to regulate this without any laws?

 

No. There should not be any legislation to control the freedom of using any social media. The society should have self awareness as to their limit and rights using the the social media without any laws.