A SOCIAL-NETWORK CONSTITUTION: WE NEED RULES TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ON THE INTERNET

Image Credit: MARGARET SCOTT / newsart.com

This op-ed appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on January 8, 2012.

In Philadelphia 225 years ago, the U.S. Constitution was drafted. Now Pennsylvania is essentially drafting a second Constitution as courts across the state determine what rules should govern social networks.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in legal disputes involving social networks and the Web. These cases include a teacher who was suspended because of a Facebook post about her frustrations with her students, a law student who was criticized for running a website where men fantasized about raping particular female students, and a Pittsburgh Pirates mascot who was fired for a Facebook post disagreeing with his employers' decision to extend certain managers' contracts.

The U.S. Constitution protects the rights of free speech and privacy. But social networks pose challenges to those rights. Straight-A students have been expelled from school for criticizing their teachers on Myspace. Thirty-five percent of companies turn down job seekers based on posts from social networks, especially photos that show the person holding a glass of wine or beer.

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