Public University Creates Super Strict Social Media Policy, Gets Worst Free Speech Rating Possible
A public university in the state of Alabama has reached a milestone that every socialist marxist in the world would be pleased as punch to achieve: they have the worst possible free speech rating, all due to its brand new social media policy.
Now that, my dear friends, is what younger folk refer to as life goals.
The policy in question forbids the usage of “harsh text messages,” spreading “rumors” and posting “embarrassing” pictures of other students. The extent of this ridiculous policy makes you wonder why they just didn’t outright ban all communication between human beings.
As reported by The College Fix, the University of West Alabama’s Cyberbullying and Cyber Harassment Policy received a “red light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for its free speech-threatening anti-harassment policies.
The policy forbids any form of cyberbullying or cyber-harassment, defined vaguely as “conduct that disrupts the educational environment of the university,” including “harsh text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles”:
Cyberbullying or cyber harassment by any member of the University of West Alabama community (student, faculty, staff, etc.) toward another individual constitutes conduct that disrupts the educational environment of the University.
Examples of cyberbullying and cyber harassment include, but are not limited to, harsh text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
FIRE awarded the school’s policy the “red light” rating, which is given when an “institution has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.”
What does the group mean by “clearly?” Well, they defined that as a restriction “that unambiguously infringes on what is or should be protected expression.”
Here’s a statement FIRE released about the rating:
“The University of West Alabama’s ‘Cyberbullying and Cyber Harassment Policy Statement’ earns FIRE’s worst ‘red light’ rating because it is a clear and substantial restriction on constitutionally protected expression,” FIRE’s Laura Beltz said in a statement reported by The College Fix.
“Online messages do not lose First Amendment protection simply because they’re subjectively viewed as harsh, embarrassing, or as an unverified rumor,” Beltz explained. “For example, a single tweet that criticizes the university administration would be punishable under this policy, but would typically be protected by the First Amendment.”
Stuff like this is why so many young kids heading out into the world today do not understand how to deal with constructive criticism, falling apart any time someone dare questions their performance or point out a flaw in their work.
How can kids succeed in a harsh world when they are made to believe that if they hear anything gruff or critical of them they should break like glass?
The answer is, they won’t and they can’t.
Source: The Daily Wire
