Facebook smarts
Facebook can be an excellent tool for students to:
- Connect;
- Share memories; and
- Plan new experiences.
Unfortunately, many people don’t exercise caution while creating their Facebook profiles and unintentionally leave themselves vulnerable to:
- Possible disciplinary action;
- Predators; and
- Self-defamation.
Campus Security doesn’t monitor the content of any UOIT student's profile; however, we are obligated to investigate all Facebook material brought to our attention that could potentially have a negative effect on any member of the UOIT community.
Facebook participants should be conscientious about the information they share on social media sites. The following actions may reduce the risks associated with using public sites:
- Don't give out personal information such as your residence room number, phone number, date of birth or address;
- Take advantage of Facebook's privacy settings, which enable you to control who sees and doesn’t see the information you share; and
- Remember that any picture you put on Facebook can be viewed by many people, and once you upload that picture you no longer own it.
If Facebook content denotes you or your friends committing an illegal act, or breaching a university policy, you could be subject to disciplinary action from the Office of Campus Safety.
Remember: Facebook and similar websites are public forums and should be treated as such. Thinking critically when releasing personal information will go a long way in protecting your safety and security.
