Laws about social media?

[Seth]

I go to a private school in Wisconsin. This school tracks social media accounts even when they are private and anything posted that is offensive towards staff (or obviously illegal) is punished harshly. I was wondering how they can see private accounts, if searching private accounts is legal, and if someone can be legally punished for saying something like "(staff member) is a d*ck". It just does not seem right to me that the school would exercise so much control over what non-illegal things are said. Thank you for your help

[Rick]

Don't make any social media accounts and you won't be spied on. They can access these accounts through the "friends" you accept and one or more may be "plants" or school snitches.

[trai]

There are no laws. The Internet is a series of interconnected networks which exist *solely* for the purpose of the worldwide exchange of information at the speed of light. By definition, the exact opposite of private.

The school can make any rules your parents agree you'll abide by upon your enrollment.

[Inda Cloud]

Honestly, if you have to ask, then you really don't have any business on social media. It's dead obvious you're not paying enough attention in school.

I'll tell you this much: they aren't doing a thing illegal.

[Yeti]

Social media accounts aren't private. You're putting posts up that others can see. They have the ability to see these posts through the various people you allow to see them. They are not entering your home, or monitoring your one-on-one emails, or your private messaging.

If you're saying or doing things publicly that reflect on the school, it's their business. It's been this way for years, even before there were social media accounts. It's going to be that way when you enter the workforce, as well.

Exact laws are still evolving -- there are debates over ability to outright ask for your password, for example. If you don't like what they're doing, don't put things on social media you'd be ashamed of anyone else to see. It's not private, and you get what you pay for. And always remember, if you're not paying for the product on some site like Facebook or Twitter, you are the product. They don't work for you. Even off of social media, if you're saying negative things about somebody, you'd better expect it's going to get to them, and you're going to regret saying things behind someone's back, especially if it's just name-calling.