[Reader-list] On banning facebook

[Taha Mehmood]

Deal All,

It seems that of lately facebook is in news for all the 'wrong'
reasons in lots of places around the world

A sample:

1. French police block Facebook party

It was the giant cocktail party that wasn’t. Police barricades and bag
checks greeted revelers arriving at what was supposed to be France's
largest boozy Facebook gathering to date.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/france/100524/french-police-facebook-party-champ-de-mars

2. Facebook ban not the answer: strategist

A social media strategist says parents need to talk to their children
about their use of social networking sites after an 18-year-old Sydney
teen was allegedly killed by someone she met through Facebook.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-ban-not-the-answer-strategist-20100517-v898.html

3. Headteacher calls for Facebook ban

The principal of a school in New Jersey has asked students to join a
voluntary ban on social networking and text messaging to prevent cyber
bullying

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/7659627/Headteacher-calls-for-Facebook-ban.html

4. St Helens College introduce 'Facebook ban'

STUDENTS at St Helens College have been banned from using social
networking website Facebook amid concerns it is distracting some from
work.

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/8174721.St_Helens_College_introduce__Facebook_ban_/

5. Facebook to Ban Its Most Popular Game?

Social gaming company Zynga's creations -- including the popular
FarmVille -- could be evicted from Facebook in a bitter dispute over
payment changes.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/05/14/facebook-ban-farmville/

6. NJ Principal Wants Facebook Banned

Now that Riverdale teens have proven they can survive two days without
Facebook or text messaging, one New Jersey principal wants to push the
kids even further, and is asking parents to ban texting, Facebook and
something called Formspring from their homes.

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/29/nj_principal_wants_facebook_banned.php

7. Schools ban Facebook over cyber mobbing increase

An increasing number of Austrian schools are banning access to social
network platforms as more and more students become victims of online
mobbing.

http://austrianindependent.com/news/General_News/2010-04-29/2355/Schools_ban_Facebook_over_cyber_mobbing_increase

8. Facebook, Twitter seen as threats at House

Smart phones, now ubiquitous gadgets in schools, offices and malls,
have been declared by legislature leaders to be a direct threat to
legislation at the House of Representatives.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/05/15/facebook-twitter-seen-threats-house.html

9. The Irish Times quotes Justice Minister Dermot Ahern warning
Facebook and Twitter users that they could be sued if what they post
comments which were damaging or defamatory to other people. Speaking
at the launch of the annual report of the Press Council, Mr Ahern said
social media sites are not exempt from the State's defamation laws.
The council received 351 complaints last year.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100525/local/press-digest

and so on and so forth but perhaps none of this is as disgusting as
mullahs banning facebook in the name of islam...

Warm regards

Taha