Al-Watan

What do we expect from a generation that is receiving their education from a fashionista on social media, even if she holds a PhD? What are the messages that the students receive when one of their teachers publishes something inappropriate on social media or flood their accounts with crap?

NEARLY a year ago, a famous actress in the US used her personal Twitter account to attack an American political figure. She used racist slurs on him. This led the TV network that aired a series featuring the actress to call off the show, which put an end to her career after decades of success.

The actress and her family apologized in an attempt to save the situation, but the management of the TV channel viewed her act as crossing the red line and exposing the channel and its staff to financial and moral harm, which is something they do not compromise with.

Similar situations happen to employees around the world. Contracts now include conditions that organize the use of social media platforms and set guidelines on what can be said and what cannot be said on a public platform. The majority of these conditions focus on the interests of the work and protecting the secrecy of vital information relating to the institution. Some of the contracts include a clear condition about the appropriateness of the content published on social media vis-à-vis the position he or she holds.

For example, an American school fired a teacher because she published something inappropriate on Instagram, knowing very well that her students would follow what she published on her account.

The case went to court and it was a complicated one with each party presenting their justifications for their action. Each party tried to prove from a legal point of view that they were correct in their action.

In my opinion, the social media accounts of employees who belong to a public institution are not private any more. That is, the company or the institution may become responsible for what the staff publishes on their accounts. This is especially so in the case of people who work in the education sector.

What do we expect from a generation that is receiving their education from a fashionista on social media, even if she holds a PhD? What are the messages that the students receive when one of their teachers publishes something inappropriate on social media or flood their accounts with crap?

The silence of the university management on this issue is not only damaging the institution›s reputation but is also eroding the values of education. Therefore, I put the blame on the policy of universities before I blame those who cross the line on their social media accounts.

What will be the effect of our fight against child exploitation when there are many people in the education sector who publicize the daily lives of their children on public platforms? Why some departments are silent against this irresponsible behavior and abuse? Exploiting children this way is unacceptable, even if it was done by a fashionista holding a PhD.

Before someone lectures me about personal freedom on social media, I tell them that the freedom that is not governed by responsibility is a deformed one. The freedom of a person is guaranteed by his awareness about the consequences of what he does for himself and others.

The reputation of an institution should not be affected by the freedom of an individual who willingly chose to be associated with it and included this association in his brief bio posted on social media.

As for what I expect from the staff of educational institutions, it is quite simple. They should have respect for their profession and carefully choose what they post on social media, or leave the education sector alone.