They’re trying to fight parodies and jokes about the college. But are they going too far?
Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell has taken to Facebook and Twitter to lecture students about their netiquette, and has even gotten Twitter to shut down a parody account of the school.
The school also vigilantly searches for fake accounts with inflammatory comments, but only tries to get them taken down if they use the university’s name or logo without stating that they are parodies.
The next step for officials: writing a new handbook policy aimed at preventing online harassment. Violators of the not-yet-drafted rule may face sensitivity training.
But civil liberties groups like the Student Press Law Center see such potential policies as attempts to “stop students from offending the government-paid administrators,” and probably deserving of parody.
Should the school (and the school president!) be focusing so much attention on its online reputation? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.
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