Is This Legal?

AlphaFrog · #1 03-12-2007, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taualumna

I can see why drinking under 21 might be an issue if the pic was taken in the US (or any other country where the legal drinking age is 21...I don't know of any...most are 18 (except for most parts of Canada, where the age is 19), I believe). There are plenty of girls who might have gone to Europe for summer vacation and have toured vineyards. These girls might want to talk about it or put up pictures of their fun vacation on Facebook or MySpace, and shouldn't be required to take these down as they were legal in the jurisdictions these pictures were taken in.

And I'm sure that comprises 98% of underage drinking pics on Facebook, right?

FSUZeta · #2 03-12-2007, 08:49 AM

what she is doing is "legal" only if it is specified in the panhellenic bylaws, or the schools conduct code(or something similar). i urge you to check the bylaws to see if "facebook check" is written in.

what are the consequences if she finds violations? and is she the only person deciding who is in violation ?

ZTAngel · #3 03-12-2007, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

what are the consequences if she finds violations? and is she the only person deciding who is in violation ?

I'm wondering that as well. Does you sorority have to pay a fine if one of their members has alcohol in their pictures? Or will you have to pay? If you refuse to pay, is your membership jeopardy? I'm curious to see what authority she has over making sure the "punishments" are carried through. I'd be more inclined to tell her to 'shove it'. Can you make your profile private so that she can't check it?

Phi_Mu_Belle · #4 03-12-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

what are the consequences if she finds violations? and is she the only person deciding who is in violation ?

The first thing she'll do is talk to the president of the chapter who is in violation to ask us to remove it. Other than that, I don't know what she'll do. Probably turn us over to the PHC vice president, who is in charge of issuing fines and punishments here. That is what leads me to believe that she is on a personal mission to change people's Facebook pages. I just think it's going too far that we have to leave some of the groups we belonged to because they had "bad words" in them.

And as far as making our pages private, just about every greek here has their pages set to private. We "have" to add her as a friend or else she'll track someone down on exec who is our friend and view our page like that. I guess I'll give her enough time to check my page and then delete her? I don't know.

FSUZeta · #5 03-12-2007, 11:51 AM

has this duty been added to her "job description" in the panhellenic bylaws?

UGAalum94 · #6 03-12-2007, 11:54 AM

What directions have you gotten from your own GLO about this? What have they told you to do? Are they supportive of her efforts?

Phi_Mu_Belle · #7 03-12-2007, 12:08 PM

As far as I know, this is NOT in the PHC By-laws or my chapter's by-laws/National Laws (that I know of). I was junior delegate last year and NEVER heard this issue brought up for discussion at PHC. I also think she has good intentions, but she's taking it too far. Next thing you know she'll be telling us who can be our friends.

I have complied with her requests and removed myself from the groups with the "bad words" in them, although I'm not happy about it. I never had any provocative pictures or pictures with alcohol in them so that isn't a problem. I don't think it will go to the extreme that she'll try to sanction us, but all of the suggestions and help you all have offered has been a big help. Thanks!

gpb1874 · #8 03-12-2007, 12:54 PM

regarding the housing office using facebook....they are looking for violations of the STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT or housing lease. Drinking in your room if you are under 21 is a violation of those rules. Thus, they can use it against you as it gives them proof (especially if it's a picture) that you were violating those rules.

the PHC officers cannot randomly decide to do this, especially if some sort of fine or other punishment is involved. That would need to be voted upon by the chapters and added to the by-laws. She can decide to start looking and having conversations with people about why they shouldn't have those things on their profile. Think of this as being proactive and providing educational opportunities through discussion.

If she is "forcing" people to change their profile when the chapters have not agreed to that rule, freedom of speech and association issues can be brought up. While chapters themselves are private organizations, I do not belive college Panhellenic organizations fall under the same category. It is a governing body and chapters are private under title 9 as single sex, social organizations. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.

I hope this explains the difference between housing looking for actual violations of policy and PHC officer looking for something SHE thinks is wrong.

happy spring break everyone!

ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl · #9 03-12-2007, 01:59 PM

Before getting worked up about it, I'd ask your Panhellenic rep if this was passed as a bylaw...this is something she should know, and she should be able to get a copy of the bylaw for your chapter.

If not then I don't see how this can be enforced...BUT I believe in picking battles. Is it really that big of a deal? It sounds like you didn't have much to worry about in your profile in the first place, but I'm sure some Greeks on campus do, and honestly, whatever her motives, she's doing them a favor. People just don't understand that anything you put on the internet can be found and used for/against you at some point. Having a totally clean facebook profile in the midst of so many that aren't is going to look good to employers who are pulling up profile after profile with offensives material in it. I think it IS a little harsh to tell a college kid not to be in groups because they include a "cuss" word...I mean, that won't impress employers, but it isn't as offensive as illegal activity, for instance. But she's probably trying to make one rule to cover all bases...for instance...a lot of people joined a group that was something like "What the f did I do last night?...f, no I didn't...I did? F". There is a difference between that and "I wish facebook had a b-slap button".