Students in India are learning that you can never be too careful with what you post on Facebook.
In a move that the Times of India has called “possibly illegal,” school officials in Chennai are creating fake Facebook accounts to monitor student’s behavior after some were spotted making unkind remarks about teachers and school authorities.
Two schools in the southeastern Indian city have reportedly taken disciplinary action against students who have ridiculed teachers by calling them names on Facebook. The schools claim it will help stop cyber bullying.
Students have already figured out ways to avoid their snooping teachers. One student told an Indian website they rarely use a teacher’s real name, instead referring to him or her with a pseudonym that only their classmates will understand. Another student said they join Facebook under fake names so teachers can’t track them.
Not all schools in Chennai are hopping on the electronic monitoring trend.
The solution to controlling the sometimes malicious things children say might start in school itself by teaching students to use the Internet responsibly. A principal told the Times of India that while they do alert parents of suspicious online activity, they don’t discipline children regarding the content they post.
“I don’t think it is the right way to curtail improper behavior on the [Internet],” said Sarah Alexander, an elementary principal.
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