Facebook - Privacy Violation?

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The US/Canadian thing as far as Greek regs in general has been going on for a long time and I know we've discussed it on here. I know our policy just used to say follow the laws where you are re alcohol. Now since the states all got blackmailed into passing the 21 law, it's undergrads can't have alcohol, period. That would be fine except that the US isn't the only country that has fraternity & sorority chapters. I'm sure it hasn't helped any of the Greek orgs get more of a foothold in Canada.

Actually, that isn't necessarily fine even if Canada didn't have GLOs. People travel, and people take pictures when they travel. You probably won't be wearing a lettered shirt while you're in Italy, but you may still have something GLO-related in your profile.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

You know, I think you have some issues yourself. In any case, sometimes, the photos aren't even from the person's profile. The person could have been tagged and from someone who didn't realize that it was wrong to have alcohol associated with letters. Honestly, I think some people DO have issues with alcohol and yes, I agree with 33girl that it's probably because of religion/culture. Of course, it's very difficult to change things because culture is so ingrained in us :-(

You know what I'd do if *I* made the rules? As long as the person isn't WEARING LETTERS/Letters aren't in the photo, then it should be okay. But I don't make the rules. I just don't think some of the regs are all that considerate of some cultures at times. It's only a personal opinion...that's all.

In any case, I guess I really shouldn't be saying anything, since I'm alum and it doesn't exactly affect me.

My only issue here is that I have sense enough to realize that it's not going to kill me to not post every single picture that I want to post on facebook. Fortunately, I'm able to accept that being part of a group means making small sacrifices and compromises. This is a VERY small thing to ask.

Right, they could be tagged by someone else. You untag them. Unless they were drinking in letters, drinking underage, or are absolutely out of control, no one's going to bring them up. They can't control who has a camera at the bar.

You just can't explain why it is THAT important. We're talking facebook. I know it's fun to make photo albums, BUT your friends probably aren't going to cry themselves to sleep at night if they miss that one picture from the bar or that one picture on vacation.

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl

My only issue here is that I have sense enough to realize that it's not going to kill me to not post every single picture that I want to post on facebook. Fortunately, I'm able to accept that being part of a group means making small sacrifices and compromises. This is a VERY small thing to ask.

Right, they could be tagged by someone else. You untag them. Unless they were drinking in letters, drinking underage, or are absolutely out of control, no one's going to bring them up. They can't control who has a camera at the bar.

You just can't explain why it is THAT important. We're talking facebook. I know it's fun to make photo albums, BUT your friends probably aren't going to cry themselves to sleep at night if they miss that one picture from the bar or that one picture on vacation.

It might not only be about friends. It might be about family too. Think about that.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

It might not only be about friends. It might be about family too. Think about that.

Oh. My. God.

Is there such a thing as an I'm-gonna-poke-my-eyes-out smiley? I need one.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl

My only issue here is that I have sense enough to realize that it's not going to kill me to not post every single picture that I want to post on facebook. Fortunately, I'm able to accept that being part of a group means making small sacrifices and compromises. This is a VERY small thing to ask.

Right, they could be tagged by someone else. You untag them. Unless they were drinking in letters, drinking underage, or are absolutely out of control, no one's going to bring them up. They can't control who has a camera at the bar.

You just can't explain why it is THAT important. We're talking facebook. I know it's fun to make photo albums, BUT your friends probably aren't going to cry themselves to sleep at night if they miss that one picture from the bar or that one picture on vacation.

I agree.

[adpiucf]

For Pete's Sake. You joined the sorority chapter. This is a rule at the chapter. If you don't like it, there's the door. There's no fundamental right to post photos of yourself with alcohol on the internet. Period.

No one is trying to deny anyone's legal right to drink or to take photos. But everything that you post on the internet has the potential to become public, even if you keep your profile on private.

You know how during recruitment you want your sorority to be seen as the best and most desirable? This ties into all of that. We want to have a clean-cut image. By passing and enforcing this rule, your sorority is attempting to take part in a larger public relations and image building campaign to show its community, its members, its members parents and others that sorority women are not a bunch of drunken slobs, contrary to media stereotypes.

If you don't like the rule, try to change it through the proper channels OR get out of the sorority. I don't see this rule being changed even if it comes up for a vote. Back in my day, we didn't have Facebook or MySpace and we still had rules that you couldn't have photos of members with alcohol. You never knew who could get their hands on them and make snap judgments about your sorority.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

It might not only be about friends. It might be about family too. Think about that.

Guess what? Back in the day people did things like get photos printed and mail them. Or make photo albums. Why in god's name is it going to kill you to not post this stuff on FACEBOOK?

Are you just bored and want to argue? Because otherwise you don't seem like you have the right attitude to be in any organized club or team. This is beating the dead horse into a pulp. You chose to go greek, and part of that is making small sacrifices. This is absolutely 100% a SMALL sacrifice. If you need things to be YOUR way ALL the time, a sorority is definitely not for you. If the sorority and your sisters are important enough to you, you can handle this little issue. It's not all about YOU.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl

Guess what? Back in the day people did things like get photos printed and mail them. Or make photo albums. Why in god's name is it going to kill you to not post this stuff on FACEBOOK?

Are you just bored and want to argue? Because otherwise you don't seem like you have the right attitude to be in any organized club or team. This is beating the dead horse into a pulp. You chose to go greek, and part of that is making small sacrifices. This is absolutely 100% a SMALL sacrifice. If you need things to be YOUR way ALL the time, a sorority is definitely not for you. If the sorority and your sisters are important enough to you, you can handle this little issue. It's not all about YOU.

Check your PMs please.

[33girl]

This kid is awesome.

And he made a very good point.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by 33girl

This kid is awesome.

And he made a very good point.

It is pretty funny.

But while he's making fun of the administration and it's funny...it still highlights reality. Reality is that if you have the red cup in the picture, people assume you are drinking. It's just the way it is, fair or not.

[UGAalum94]

This may have been mentioned before, but the other option is to not mention your affiliation with your GLO group on facebook. Personally, I'd still hope that people who keep their postings and photos within the boundaries of good taste, but if you don't really wholeheartedly accept a group's attitude about alcohol, you could limited the issue by not having letters, symbols, greek crests, family trees, etc in your profile.

While I don't think it's a big hardship to not have photos boozing it up online, I also don't think anyone should take the effort to Puritanical extremes. For instance, and this is totally hypothetical since I have no authority in this area, I don't think I'd try to take action against a member who was above the legal drinking age who posted no photos of herself with alcohol connected to her page, but who appeared to be drinking a photo tagged by others. The effort not to connect GLO signs, symbols, or letters with alcohol doesn't extend to requiring that members of legal age not drink in public ever, so I'm not sure why a photo, which wasn't otherwise inappropriate in content, of a person with something that appeared to be alcohol generally being on the internet would be a big problem, tagged on facebook or otherwise.

I suspect that having a outright ban on alcohol images connected with GLOs is just a whole lot easier than making the repeated judgment calls about, well, this photo with a beer bottle is fine but this one isn't because you look drunk, etc.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

You know what I'd do if *I* made the rules? As long as the person isn't WEARING LETTERS/Letters aren't in the photo, then it should be okay. But I don't make the rules. I just don't think some of the regs are all that considerate of some cultures at times. It's only a personal opinion...that's all.

Assuming that the person is of legal drinking age, I'm in agreement with the rule that you'd make, assuming, of course, that there wasn't anything else wrong with the picture.

A photo of a legally adult young woman with a glass of wine really isn't that big a deal one way or the other. I don't think a GLO is harmed by it.

On the other hand, as I mentioned above, I can see why it's a easier to say all alcohol photos are forbidden to avoid trying to regulate which are acceptable and which are not. Who would want to take on that job? Keg stand, no; champagne at wedding toast, yes; shooters at spring break, probably not; etc, etc, etc.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Or, completely disassociate yourself from your GLO in your profile. Life is full of choices.

I see you nailed it perfectly earlier, Nittanyalum. Exactly.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

This may have been mentioned before, but the other option is to not mention your affiliation with your GLO group on facebook. Personally, I'd still hope that people who keep their postings and photos within the boundaries of good taste, but if you don't really wholeheartedly accept a group's attitude about alcohol, you could limited the issue by not having letters, symbols, greek crests, family trees, etc in your profile.

While I don't think it's a big hardship to not have photos boozing it up online, I also don't think anyone should take the effort to Puritanical extremes. For instance, and this is totally hypothetical since I have no authority in this area, I don't think I'd try to take action against a member who was above the legal drinking age who posted no photos of herself with alcohol connected to her page, but who appeared to be drinking a photo tagged by others. The effort not to connect GLO signs, symbols, or letters with alcohol doesn't extend to requiring that members of legal age not drink in public ever, so I'm not sure why a photo, which wasn't otherwise inappropriate in content, of a person with something that appeared to be alcohol generally being on the internet would be a big problem, tagged on facebook or otherwise.

I suspect that having a outright ban on alcohol images connected with GLOs is just a whole lot easier than making the repeated judgment calls about, well, this photo with a beer bottle is fine but this one isn't because you look drunk, etc.

I doubt anyone would get that upset about a tagged photo...just de tag it, no big deal.

It is definitely easier to just say don't do it then have to figure out what situation is ok. And leaving it open also leaves room to discriminate against one girl versus another.

It IS an option for a woman of legal age to choose between being affiliated online with her letters or posting pictures of booze. What I can't wrap my head around is why anyone would choose the booze.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl

I doubt anyone would get that upset about a tagged photo...just de tag it, no big deal.

It is definitely easier to just say don't do it then have to figure out what situation is ok. And leaving it open also leaves room to discriminate against one girl versus another.

It IS an option for a woman of legal age to choose between being affiliated online with her letters or posting pictures of booze. What I can't wrap my head around is why anyone would choose the booze.

I can't imagine consciously choosing booze, but I can see deciding that I wanted to be free to post pretty close to whatever I wanted rather than having to filter it though someone else's group standards, especially when I was 21 or so.

Even here and now when I'm a lot older and not posting photos, I have enjoyed not having the GLO reference in user name more that I would have guessed when I started.

I didn't get the feeling that Taualumna had the big personal investment in the issue that some people were reading in her posts, but I understand some of what she's feeling in terms of not seeing much fundamentally wrong with alcoholic drinks and therefore finding any strict absolute policy a little rigid. I think it can also be irritating when folks latch onto certain rules about how the group looks while ignoring or promoting images that might be equally distressing to some group members: Barbie chapters, etc, (which I'm not trying to suggest anyone in this thread would do, just that messages about image are trickier than maybe they'd first seem).

ETA: In practice one probably should de-tag a photo like we discussed. In theoretical terms, I don't think she should have to. If it's not illegal or embarrassing and she was drinking in public at the time the photo was taken, it seems a little silly and maybe even hypocritical to worry about de-tagging it. People should think carefully about what they have in their profiles, but in cases where there's nothing wrong with a photo. . .