Facebook Snooper

Facebook may be a social networking utility for most Millennials, but for BYU students, it is a calculated risk. Or so it would seem from this BYU NewsNet story: "Photo on Facebook Used as Evidence." It's not the guy climbing on the dormintory ledge that got my attention. It was the six coeds who were turned in to the Honor Code office for posting pictures of themselves "hanging out in their dorm rooms." Nothing bad or immoral in the photos, we're told, but they were allegedly "dressed immodestly." The female students were put on suspension, according to the article. Interestingly, the guy on the ledge got a $50 fine (obviously for doing something bad -- you don't get fined for doing something good) but is not reported to have received a suspension.

Comments

[Dave]

Yes, I did notice how "Facebook Snooper" rhymes with "Starship Trooper," which likely brings up a memory of either a sci-fi action movie or an old Yes song, depending on whether you're into movies or music.

[James]

I love it! What a great system: a kid who actually endangers his own life is let off easier than students who dress down in their own bedrooms. I'm pretty sure I can envision the student who turned them in... classic! Brings back the true feeling of those BYU days.

[Peter LLC]

I suppose these cases of facebook tattling say something about the squishy concept of "friend" if even your lame RA is counted as one. Maybe facebook could introduce a "dude I might want to look up in the future for a hook-up" category that would allow contact information only to be shared.

[Peter LLC]

I wrote the above assuming one isn't a complete idiot and allows access to "friends" only.

[onelowerlight]

If the student got in trouble with BYU police, I'm 90% sure that the honor code office also got involved. Breaking the law is just as much against the honor code as letting people in past the chastity line, and I'm sure that the police report to the honor code office.

Just because the article failed to mention it doesn't mean that the office wasn't involved. However, believe it or not, the honor code office is very fair in that they provide ways for students to clean up their records and resolve the issues. I know of a student who was arrested for larceny, and the honor code office worked with her and her bishop to restore her to good standing. I'm sure this kid wasn't given a permanent black mark for his little prank.

I've witnessed worse pranks in the dorms than this--pranks that are many times worse, in terms of property damage. I'd be surprised if he got it as bad as the girls.

And yes, to an outsider, it might seem kind of strange to put the girls on suspension for something that is common at a secular university, but the whole point of the honor code is to set BYU apart from secular universities. None of us saw the photos, so none of us know exactly what was going on. It's enough for me to know that the girls were deliberately breaking a contract which they had signed, which contract is the honor code. I'm sure that the honor code office will give them a way to clean up their records, so if any permanent harm is done, it's the girls' fault and not BYU's.

The thing that gets me angry, if anything, is that someone would use the honor code as a way of blackmailing or getting back at someone they didn't like. I'd at least confront the people I was planning to turn in, and try to resolve any issues before involving the authorities.

Then again, I really don't have all the details of the case, and I could be completely mistaken.

[Sam B.]

onelowerlight,
The thing is, I don't know where in the Honor Code it tells you not to post pictures of yourself immodest. Most unendowed people (and, since the girls were sophomores living in the dorms, they were presumably unendowed) sleep in stuff that wouldn't meet the Honor Code requirements for being out (my freshman year, I probably slept in boxers that didn't extend all the way to my knees and a t-shirt). I am entirely sure that wasn't in any way against the Honor Code.

If the pictures included the girls toking or drinking (or, for that matter, cheating on a test), it's still a little Big Brother-ish for my taste, but at least that would clearly be violative of the Honor Code. But dressing immodestly in your dorm room?

[Dave]

Here's a related BYU NewsNet article from January 2006: BYU Bishops Warn Against Facebook, Myspace.

[Joseph Antley]

Wow, I think that's rediculous. Guess they should have their pictures set to private so only friends can see them. And may sure they're not friends with the admin.

[onelowerlight]

(from the BYU website)

The dress and grooming of both men and women should always be modest, neat and clean, consistent with the dignity adherent to representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any of its institutions of higher learning. Modesty and cleanliness are important values that reflect personal dignity and integrity, through which students, staff, and faculty represent the principles and standards of the Church. Members of the BYU community commit themselves to observe these standards which reflect the direction given by the Board of Trustees and the Church publication, For the Strength of Youth. The Dress and Grooming Standards are as follows:

Women – A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, strapless, backless, or revealing; has slits above the knee; or is form fitting. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be knee length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extremes in styles and colors. Excessive ear piercing (more than one per ear) and all other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas.

I don't think that there's anything specific against posting pictures of yourself, but the idea is that once you start posting pictures, the clothing that you wear in private becomes public. Sure, people wear things in private that would be considered immodest if they were in public, and that's ok since nobody sees it, but once you start posting pictures of yourself online, it ceases to be private, and goes onto the same level as your public dress. That's how it seems to me, at least.

[Dave]

1LL, if there's nothing wrong with hanging around the dorm room in pajamas (and the story seemed to emphasize there was nothing "bad or immoral" going on in the pictures), why is it that a photo of hanging around in the dorm room can be wrong or merit suspension? Or is it that women posting a photo of themselves is wrongful conduct whereas for men at BYU to post photos would not be? Or is it because it was a photo of a BYU facility that made it wrong?

There has to be something wrongful about their conduct to justify a suspension, and nothing in the article really indicates that anything wrongful occurred. That's the disconnect here.

[Joseph Antley]

I would guess that that they were doing something in the dorm room that's against dorm rules. Didn't it say something about a guy hanging out on the ledge?

[Dave]

Your post misrepresents. I read the news net story and BYU is not being ridicules... this time.

BTW I just started reading your blog, I hope your other post are not 'tainted with cynicism' It is your choice, but if they are I wont be reading more.

[Nate W.]

Gee, does that mean that all of those shirtless facebook pics of guys at BYU will prompt similar suspensions? No? Hmm... Would someone care to tell me why?