Facing the Facts: Facebook.com

1. Facing the Facts: Facebook.com Rebecca DeSensi Christine Nye Crissy Priddy Western Kentucky University

2. Concept • As a proactive approach to dealing with responsible computing, we have created an orientation session and an online tutorial for incoming students at Diversity College. This proposal will be outlined for you in the following presentation. We strive to encourage responsible computing at Diverstiy College.

3. Goals and Objectives • Objective 1- Through this presentation, you will gain a better understanding of an Orientation Program that would be suitable for new students; which would introduce them to Facebook.com and both its benefits and drawbacks. We hope to accomplish this by providing you with a prepared copy of such an Orientation program. • Objective 2- Through this presentation, you will be familiarized with an online tutorial that could be administered to students, to test their knowledge of responsible online behavior. We hope to accomplish this by providing you with an online website we have created that will administer such an test. • Objective 3- Through this presentation we hope to justify the need for both an Orientation program for new students regarding Facebook.com, as well as a required Online tutorial; we hope to accomplish this justification through a description of our research on Chickering and student development.

4. Orientation Program • College students are interested in Facebook, and they are going to use this website no matter what harmful effects it may have on their futures. So they key message that we want to convey is privacy. We want these students to understand that Facebook can be a valuable networking tool, but that students need to keep their personal information private, and they need to keep vulgar information and inappropriate pictures private as well, to help protect their safety as well as reputations.

5. Diversity College Facing the Facts :Facebook New Student Orientation

6. “I’ll Facebook you!” • Facebooking, it has become a verb. • How many of you all have Facebook accounts? • How many of those accounts include pictures of those wild and crazy nights, out drinking with your friends? • How many of you all are 21 again?

7. “I’ll Facebook You!” • What does your profile include? • How many have their names? • Addresses and Phone Numbers? • Class Schedules? • What type of language are you using in both your own profile, and in the messages you leave on the walls of your friends? • What type of pictures are you including in your profile? In your picture albums?

8. By the way…I’m not on Facebook! • For those of you who have yet to discover the virtual yearbook, Facebook, here is a brief synopsis • Facebook: Created by Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg • Why was it created? Connection to fellow schoolmates • Anyone over 13 can have a Facebook Profile

9. Who is on Facebook • Over 2,000 college campuses and 22,000 high schools have Facebook.com users • Over 11 million users worldwide • Ninth most trafficked site on the web • About 15,000 new users every day

10. Icebreaker! • Who here has the most “Facebook Friends?” • What things would you NOT want to see on someone’s Facebook profile? • Lets get a discussion going on this, and see what answers we can come up with!

11. Reasons Students Log On… • Find out information about their new college roommate • A way to remember your friends birthdays! • Information about campus parties • Making new friends • Social networking • Sharing pictures

12. Reasons Others Log On… • Employers- find out who you are and if you are the type of person they want representing their company • Administrators- Those underage drinking pictures could be used against you, or any other behavior in pictures that goes against your student code of conduct could be used in disciplinary hearings

13. Reasons Others Log On… • Stalkers- Now that all of your personal information is out there, your address, phone number, class schedule and who knows what else- you are making yourself vulnerable to predators. • College Recruiters- You are already in college, why does this matter? Well are you thinking about graduate or professional school? They will use your Facebook profile to gain information!

14. Reasons Others Log On • Sorority/Fraternity- Thinking about going through rush? Chances are members of these organizations have “Facebooked” you, wanting to see if you are the type of member they are looking for. • Sorority/Fraternity National Organizations- The International Officers for Greek Organizations check up on their chapters individually by looking at the Facebook profiles for each chapter member at a certain institution.

15. Things to Consider • Facebook can be used positively- The University can use it to post announcements, or make you aware of opportunities available to you. • Be aware that what you are posting is accessible to the public, you wouldn’t want to post anything that could hinder your future job prospects, get you into trouble with the law, or put you in harms way.

16. Things to Consider • Do you really want to post that Party? Putting your party on Facebook means that ANYONE can find out about it, meaning unwanted strangers at your house! • Internet Safety- Be careful with passwords and other log in information, so that others don’t have access to that information. You wouldn’t want someone to log into your account and steal your identity!

17. Things to Consider • Anytime that you access or post to your Facebook account via Diversity College’s network, it is recorded in the network. If for any reason the University deems it necessary to pull up your account, whether it be for a court case or disciplinary proceeding, Network Administrators can pull up any posts, comments, email, pictures, instant message files etc., that you have produced.

18. Things to Consider • Facebook is a great way to network with Professors, classmates, and friends. But don’t abuse it! Use it as a tool to help you get ahead in the University community. Be safe and courteous, and have fun, and follow the Student Code of Conduct! For more information on the Student Code of Conduct at Diversity College, refer to your student handbook.

19. Tutorial • For our online tutorial, we decided that the most important message to convey was responsible computing. We decided to incorporate more topics than simply Facebook, because responsible computing covers so many different areas. Our questions range from password protection to personal safety.

20. Tutorial www.wku.edu/~crissy.priddy Please click this link to view our mock up of an online tutorial

21. Facebook Task Force • In addition to the orientation program and the online tutorial, the formation of a Facebook Taskforce is also in our plans. Since only incoming students will be receiving the information we have discussed here, we felt it was pertinent to create an outlet for existing students to be briefed on the issues regarding safe and responsible computing. The Facebook Task Force will discover ways to distribute valuable information to the student body of Diversity College.

22. Justification • Why the concern with technology? • Technology has many positive and negative uses including: • Students have ability to interact with students across the world as well as on their own campus • Many available academic and research resources • Students are comfortable with technology and may not consider dangers of computing in regards to personal safety • Technology is easy and tempting for students to misuse

23. Justification • Why this program? • The National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) suggests it may be beneficial for “institutions to provide a mediation…process adapted to the context of cyberspace.” (Kaplin & Lee, 2003, p. 432) • This proposal is a preemptive mediation to educate incoming students about responsible computing • Purpose is to create a clear understanding of what is appropriate and responsible use of technology before misuse occurs. (Shier, 2005)

24. Justification • It is our mission to orient students to all aspects of higher education and campus life: in 2006 this includes technology • The internet, computers, & other technology have positive as well as negative impacts. (Love & Estanek, 2004) • Educate incoming students on the benefits of sites such as facebook.com or myspace.com • Create an awareness of safe usage • Encourage students to protect personal information • Educate students of the consequences of posting personal information online (Medintz, 2006)

25. Justification • Student Development Issues • Ensure online usage doesn’t impede student development • Encourage students to be responsible aligns with the need for students to “develop integrity” (Chickering, 1993). • Orientation encourages students to “develop mature interpersonal relationships” (Chickering, 1993)

26. Justification • Issues to be Aware of • Faculty/Staff should be aware of online sites such as Facebook or Myspace • Faculty and staff need to be concerned with the same issues of personal information online • Confidentiality issues: how do we confront students endangering themselves? • It may be necessary to analyze need for official policy regarding use of technology in disciplinary hearings as time goes on.

27. Justification • Program Analysis • After the orientation program and test we will administer a short, anonymous survey to students on their understanding of responsible computing practices • Re-survey 6 months later to analyze how students perceive their usage of technology (ie: safe, responsible, legal, etc.) • Track student code of conduct violations in regard to technology usage (was evidence found online, did students use technology in violation, etc) • Because technology is rapidly changing, the program will be analyzed annually to address changes that may be necessary to the orientation and online tutorial.

28. References • References • Barrett, W; Hendrickson, M; Stephens, A &Torres, J. (2005) “Thefacebook.com: Computer Mediated Social Networking.” Student Affairs Online, 6:,1 retrieved February 7, 2006 from http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal /Winter_2005/thefacebook.htm. • Chickering , A.W & Reisser, L. (1993) Education and identity (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: JosseyBass. • Hutton, P. (2006). “Student Site Facebook Raises some Eyebrows.” Retrieved February 6, 2006 from http://www.kansas.com. • Kaplin, W.A. & Lee, B.A. (2000). Year 2000 cumulative supplement to the law of higher education (3rd Ed.) US:NACUA. • Lashinsky, A. (2005). “Facebook Stares Down Success.” Fortune. Vol. 152. • Love, P.G. & Estanek, S.M. (2004) Rethinking student affairs practice (1st Ed.) San Francisco: JosseyBass • Medintz, S. (2006). “Talking’ ‘bout myspace generation.” Money. 35, 2. Retrieved February 7, 2006 from Ebscohost. Shier, M. (2005). The Way Technology Changes How We Do What We Do. K. Kruger (Ed.), New Directions for Student Services. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. • "Terms & Conditions" Retrieved February9, 2006 from http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/misc/terms.html?z=1. • "Terms of Use." Retrieved February 6, 2006 from http://www.facebook.com/terms.php. • “Western Kentucky University Computing Ethics Policy”Retrieved February 8, 2006 from http://itdiv.wku.edu/policies/compethics.pdf. • "WKU Technology. Expect the Best! Information Technology 2005-2006.” Retrieved February 8, 2006 from http://atech.wku.edu/stech/pdf/stu_tech_brochure_web.pdf.