by Gabe Mielke ’16
No, I’m not talking about our school’s Instagram photos, The Eye’s Twitter account, or even the principal’s facebook page. This is something vastly different.
A law was recently passed in the state of Illinois that completely redefines how students and schools interact concerning the ever changing world of social media. The law allows schools to demand, and therefore acquire, the login information of a student’s social media account, accessing the entirety of the information contained within.
If you didn’t fully grasp that the first time, here it is again: the law allows schools (potentially in the future our beloved Saint Ignatius High School) to demand from students the login information of their social media accounts, and therefore view the information on those accounts (think Instagram Direct Messages, previously private Facebook comments, draft Tweets, and the infamous Twitter DMs).
Would you want the school (Administration, Principal’s Office, Dean of Students, etc.) to be able to scroll through your DMs at will?
What if I told you that this initiative was all in the name of curbing cyber-bullying among teenagers? Would that make this breach of privacy any more comforting? Yes, that is indeed the purpose of this law; legislators (of the great state of Illinois) have given schools the right to log onto student’s social media accounts, to in effect impersonate their own students online, for the purpose of deterring bullying over the Internet.
Now, do not get me wrong, I do consider cyber-bullying to be a heinous and cowardly act, and in this day and age bullying has gone from toilet swirlies after school to a constant barrage of hate and humiliation over the Interwebs. I do think that cyber-bullying is a threat to the Internet generation; I am in no way belittling it.
I just think that schools in general already have vigilant eyes watching over social media (a few Ignatius students have found this out the very, very hard way). They should not be allowed to view Twitter through my perspective.
At the base of the issue, this legislation not only encroaches upon the freedom of speech guaranteed to all Americans, and deserved by all human beings, but it steps upon freedom of expression. If you knew that the school could, at any time, view your social media account from your own perspective, would you favorite that Tweet or like that picture as you would have before? I hope you never have to contemplate that decision.
We are always told to be ourselves and not hide our true passions, however who would be himself if he knew that Big Broth–*cough* *cough*– the school administration could look over his shoulder the entire time?
In regards to this piece of obviously misguided legislation I would like to echo the sentiments of the beloved (at least by me) Ben Seeley ‘14 in saying that the intention was good yet the execution was utterly, incredibly, outstandingly horrendous.
Link to Illinois Law:
New Illinois law gives schools access to students social media passwords
