2008 Woodie Awards
A 'clear eye' for online safety
By: Michelle Bosserman
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: Campus
The University's Web site, "Clear Eye for the Facebook Guy," aims to keep internet stalkers at bay in an online society.
Their Web site, http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/sa/file30145.html, was created to inform and warn students about the dangers of Facebook.
"Clear Eye for the Facebook Guy" is a collaboration by Assistant Dean of Students Deborah Novak and Montana Miller, of the popular culture department.
"It gives a visual reminder it's not just your friends who look at your profile," Miller said. "It's also an audience that's often invisible and ignored."
The Web site's mock Facebook profile gives examples of people who could be looking at your profile, including police officers, employers, professors, parents and stalkers. Students can run the mouse over selected parts of the mock profile to read pop-ups on what different information can mean to these people.
For example, when clicking on the interests section, two pop-ups come up. One is of a professor saying, "Party?!? Hmmm... no wonder you're never in my 9 am class!" The second is a parent saying, "Party?!? This is what I'm paying tuition for?"
Miller incorporated information she found from Detective Scott Sauer of Campus Police into the Web site.
"He advised us on what things can get you into trouble and raise suspicions," Miller said.
Some of the things that raise suspicions in the eyes of the law are illegal activities, like smoking marijuana or drinking alcoholic beverages while underage. Posted information and pictures of illegal activities can lead to trouble.
"[The site] is just a way to get the students started in thinking about using privacy settings," Miller said. "It gets students more conscious and aware about who looks at their Web site."
Both Novak and Miller have high hopes for the Web site that it will bring positive attention to the University.
"It's a proactive way to introduce students to this new way of communication," Miller said.
Senior Rob Matejka has used Facebook since he was a freshman at the University.
"I never worried about my privacy settings too much before my professor looked me up," Matejka said. "After that, I was very careful about the information I put on my profile."
According to Novak, the site has been used at Orientation and Registration, first year success story meetings and with student athletes.
Novak said she likes to simply ask students, regarding the information on their profile, "Is it information you would be proud to have printed on the front page of a newspaper?"
Their Web site, http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/sa/file30145.html, was created to inform and warn students about the dangers of Facebook.
"Clear Eye for the Facebook Guy" is a collaboration by Assistant Dean of Students Deborah Novak and Montana Miller, of the popular culture department.
"It gives a visual reminder it's not just your friends who look at your profile," Miller said. "It's also an audience that's often invisible and ignored."
The Web site's mock Facebook profile gives examples of people who could be looking at your profile, including police officers, employers, professors, parents and stalkers. Students can run the mouse over selected parts of the mock profile to read pop-ups on what different information can mean to these people.
For example, when clicking on the interests section, two pop-ups come up. One is of a professor saying, "Party?!? Hmmm... no wonder you're never in my 9 am class!" The second is a parent saying, "Party?!? This is what I'm paying tuition for?"
Miller incorporated information she found from Detective Scott Sauer of Campus Police into the Web site.
"He advised us on what things can get you into trouble and raise suspicions," Miller said.
Some of the things that raise suspicions in the eyes of the law are illegal activities, like smoking marijuana or drinking alcoholic beverages while underage. Posted information and pictures of illegal activities can lead to trouble.
"[The site] is just a way to get the students started in thinking about using privacy settings," Miller said. "It gets students more conscious and aware about who looks at their Web site."
Both Novak and Miller have high hopes for the Web site that it will bring positive attention to the University.
"It's a proactive way to introduce students to this new way of communication," Miller said.
Senior Rob Matejka has used Facebook since he was a freshman at the University.
"I never worried about my privacy settings too much before my professor looked me up," Matejka said. "After that, I was very careful about the information I put on my profile."
According to Novak, the site has been used at Orientation and Registration, first year success story meetings and with student athletes.
Novak said she likes to simply ask students, regarding the information on their profile, "Is it information you would be proud to have printed on the front page of a newspaper?"
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