Comments on: Freedom of expression or freedom to defame?

By: Scott Goodacre

Scott Goodacre — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:54:12 +0000

Students at my own University started an “Appreciation Society” on Facebook for one lecturer, that lead to the publishing of a picture which showed the lecturer in question being arrested for narcotics offences.

I’m being sensitive here and not naming names, however would this count as acceptable? The group was started as a joke, however the publishing of the photograph has lead most students to regard the lecturer as a bit of a joke and a lot of comments are made when he slips up - comments that are obviously drug related - and I wonder if it’s all going a bit far.

Sure this guy messed up in the past, but do we have a right to know about these past offences? In this case it’s lead us to the unfortunate conclusion that the lecturer doesn’t know a great deal about the subject matter he’s teaching…an accusation reached solely on the topic of his criminal record.

By: Barry Turner

Barry Turner — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:07:32 +0000

Students, and for that matter anyone else can ’say what they like on line’ and lecturers and anyone else can sue them if it is defamatory. While no one should suppress reasoned criticism insults and harrasment should not be tollerated. Student journalists should be a little wary of ’slagging’ off their lecturers since being sued for defamation, especially early in a journalist’s career can have quite detrimental effects on employment prospects

By: Nigel Barlow

Nigel Barlow — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:14:35 +0000

some interesting points Dave.

But at the end of the day,students should say online what they would say face to face.The medium isn’t the issue here,it has simply made it easier to express one’s views in public and to a potentilly larger audience.
As an older student who first studied in non digital days,I find it rather sad that the many benefits of new technology have been lost and the medium is often used to hide behind comments that people would not make normally.And it is not just students,it is happened in the work environment as well.
The solution?Forgetting the practicalities,social networking sites,email,twitter etc should be treated as any other form of communication.If you have a comment to make,make sure you can substantiate it and be prepared to say it in an open forum.

By: Phil Daley

Phil Daley — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:54:21 +0000

I think the most interesting point made in that article is the use of Social Networks as a kind of review of the University. I know if Myspace and Facebook were around when i went through UCAS it would have influenced my decisions to see What life was really like at say, hypothetically, Liverpool University doing a Degree in french and film. Who knows? I may have actually graduated by now if there was a “Don’t waste your money on this degree” group in 2004.

By: Shaun Wathey

Shaun Wathey — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:45:54 +0000

Students, staff, the general public. It doesn’t matter, everyone should have the power to say what they want online. Just because they say it, doesn’t mean people have to read or believe it.

By: Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:45:40 +0000

You raise interesting points, Dave.

Comments made by students online can verge on the obsessive and go beyond just a laugh and a joke. Indeed, if it was the other way around, with lecturers abusing their students for the world to see, there would be outrage.

I think it goes too far sometimes, but bringing in laws about what people can and can’t say is a dangerous route.