Facebook and Free Speech

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Facebook and Free Speech

We are starting a unit in Communications about first amendment rights. Read the article “Facebook and Free Speech” in the UpFront magazine and answer the following questions. This packet is due at the end of class. Questions should be answered in complete sentence and your answers should be well thought out and developed.

Multiple Choice

1. In 2008, Florida student Katherine Evans was suspended for creating a Facebook page about a teacher. A federal judge tater ruled that
a her actions were protected speech.
b free speech does not apply to social, media.
c students do not have First Amendment rights.
d none of the above
2. In recent rulings, the National Labor Relations Board [NLRB] found some employers' social media policies illegal because these policies
a create unsafe working environments.
b undermine workplace productivity.
c interfere with employee privacy.
d may keep workers from communicating with one another about working conditions.
3. What happened as a result of NLRB rulings?
a Some fired employees were reinstated.
b Companies were pushed to rewrite their social media policies.
c both a & b
d neither a nor b
4. Daniel Ray Carter was fired as a deputy sheriff for "Liking" his boss's political opponent on Facebook. A judge ruled that the firing was
a legal because Carter did not belong to a [tabor union.
b Legal because clicking an icon doesn't count as speech.
c illegal because the behavior in question occurred outside the workplace.
d illegal because Carter apologized to his boss.
5. California and Illinois recently became the fifth and sixth states, respectively, to bar companies from
a asking employees or applicants for their social, media passwords,
b having social media policies.
c preventing employees from using social media at work.
d having corporate social, media accounts.
IN-DEPTH QUESTIONS
6. What kinds of online "'speech," if any, do you think a company should be able to fire an employee for? Why?

7. Do you think students should be able to comment about their teachers or schools on social, media? If not, why not? If so, is there a line students shouldn't cross?

8. Do you think the courts can keep up with changes in technology? Explain.

9. Do you think it's ever OK to fire someone because of comments he or she made online? Why or why not? If so, in what circumstances?

10. How is this issue playing out in schools?

11. Take a stand: Should schools be able to discipline students for social media posts made off school grounds?

12. Should prospective employers be allowed to ask applicants for their Facebook passwords? If a potential boss asked you for yours, how would you respond?

13. Why do some people call social media the "new water cooler"? Do you think this comparison is valid? If you don’t get the “water cooler” reference, look it up online!

14. How often do you communicate on Facebook or other social media networks?

15. Are social media posts different from traditional forms of speech? If so, how?

16. What kinds of speech do you think the Framers had in mind when they wrote the First Amendment? What might they say about digital "'speech"?

WRITING PROMPT
The article describes several workers who lost their jobs over social media posts. Select one. Explain whether you think the consequences he or she faced were fair--and why.