University is a space for critical thinking, formulating a sense of self and broadening your horizons. Just don’t become friends with anyone that is wanton with their social media tagging, because that may spell the end of your tertiary education experience.
The University of Pretoria (Tuks) has announced that students could be suspended, expelled or criminally charged for posting hate speech online. That’s not the problematic bit, because the same could happen to you if you like, retweet or are TAGGED in a post that is deemed to be hate speech.
Here’s TimesLive with more:
UP spokesperson, Anna-Retha Bouwer, said the statement was to remind students of their responsibilities.
“It is to make students aware that they must be careful of what they post on social media because the university can take action against them,” said Bouwer. The institution sent the message out to students on the university portal informing them of the decision. It said recent protests at the institution were fuelled by commentary on social media.
“Students and staff should take note that not only posts or retweets bit also likes, tagging and retweets of posts on social media which incite violence, harm or constitute hate speech are in contravention of the university’s disciplinary code: students and South African legislation and constitute grounds for criminal and civil action,” the message said.
“Please note that if you allow your name to be coupled with any ‘likes’, ‘tags’ or ‘retweets’ of this nature, you are equally liable and that disciplinary action and possible suspension or expulsion from the university and/or criminal or civil action may follow.”
Equally liable? I think someone needs to have a word with Anna-Retha, she sounds like one of those adults who writes a message to a loved one as her status and then asks for help to delete it.
More of that statement:
The university further advised students not to allow their names to be tagged in posts that contravened the code.
The message also said students were “personally responsible for the use of your name on and social media platform. If your handle or name is attached to certain content, you are responsible for its publication”.
Two students summing up what I imagine is widespread sentiment:
“They are out of order now. This is nonsense,” said one student who asked not to be named.
“How can we control who tags us on Facebook? What if our accounts get hacked? This is unacceptable, they can’t do that,” said another student.
Hate speech is bad, no one is daft enough to refute that, but to penalise people for what may be an indirect association smacks of a Big Brother like move.
Enjoy uni guys and girls, think before you post.
[source:timeslive]
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