UMCES Formalizes Student Social Media Privacy Protections The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has finalized a comprehensive policy governing how the institution interacts with the digital lives of its student population. The policy protects student privacy interests while permitting the use of social media for academic and career-based activities in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Under the UMCES Policy on Student Social Media Privacy, institution employees are prohibited from requiring, requesting, suggesting, or causing a student or prospective student to disclose, grant access to, or allow observation of non-public access information. This includes passwords, log-in information, or other private details required to access a personal social media account.
Rules Ban Employees from Demanding Student Social Media Access
The rules explicitly ban employees from demanding that students alter privacy settings on personal accounts or add institutional employees as friends or followers. Personnel cannot compel students to log onto personal social media accounts in the presence of an employee or agent, nor can they require individuals to disclose the names of the social media platforms they employ. Employees are also barred from suspending, expelling, disciplining, penalizing, or threatening students who refuse to comply with requests prohibited by the policy.
Policy Allows Required Access Under Regulated Academic Conditions
The policy outlines specific limitations that allow authorized UMCES employees to require students to access social media accounts under regulated conditions. A student must be given the option to complete the assignment by using an existing personal account or by creating a generic social media account at their own election. Access must be strictly limited to the academic or career-based activity, without requiring non-public access information, and designed consistently with FERPA obligations. UMCES employees must obtain approval from the Vice President for Education or the student’s Unit Director before instituting such academic requirements.
