Facebook's Community Standards
/Facebook provided more detailed "Community Standards," which include the social network's approach to government requests. Requests for data and to restrict content were up to 35,051 in 2014.
The new guidelines specify what's acceptable and unacceptable in four categories:
- Keeping you safe (e.g., self-injury, bullying and harassment)
- Encouraging respectful behavior (e.g., nudity, hate speech)
- Keeping your account and personal information secure (e.g., authentic identity, fraud and spam)
- Protecting your intellectual property.
The Community Standards are particularly relevant this week, as a Penn State fraternity was suspended for having photos of nude women and other offensive images on "secret" Facebook pages.
Discussion Starters:
- What is the purpose of the Community Standards? Identify three or four specific communication objectives. Consider all of Facebook's many constituencies.
- Which of the Standards do you find most and least clear?
- Assess the video above. What's your view of the content and graphics?
