The News
Cases of students being punished for inappropriate behaviour on Facebook have increased in recent years, raising the question of whether schools should penalise students for their activities on social networking websites.
Some students from Hong Kong International School were given demerits after using bad language on Facebook. In countries such as the US and India, students have even been suspended from school for cyber-bullying.
A Hong Kong primary school student was punished by school authorities because of improper acts online. The student was said to have created a fake account on Facebook and used it to scold his classmates.
In Hong Kong, some schools have clear rules about behaviour involving bullying and harassment. For instance, according to Korean International School's rules, 'Students who bully or harass others will be dealt with promptly and seriously. This applies to the use of social media like Facebook'.
Opposing this intrusion into their private lives, teenagers from Hong Kong and other countries have created Facebook groups to discuss the issue. Some groups have attracted more than 10,000 members.
Members complain about being punished over improper postings on Facebook. 'I once used the pronoun 'it' in a Facebook note to describe a teacher,' a Hong Kong student said. 'Someone informed my class teacher and I was lectured by disciplinary staff.'