College students advised not to share WikiLeaks information

College students advised not to share WikiLeaks information

The recent WikiLeaks scandal is a hot topic at colleges and universities across America.

Several well-known institutions have sent e-mails to their students, advising them not to discuss or post WikiLeaks links online, especially on popular social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. The website, which is run by Australian editor Julian Assange, recently made global headlines after it released private documents about the U.S. State Department's dealings with foreign nations.

Last week, Columbia University's School of International Public Affairs (SIPA) sent a message to its students, stating that online discourse about the documents "would call into question your ability to deal with confidential information," as quoted by The New York Times. Days after their original e-mail was sent, SIPA Dean John Coatsworth released a follow-up statement to clarify the school's stance on freedom of speech.

According to Wired.com, Coastworth said that students have the right to debate any information in the public arena, and they can do so without the fear of adverse consequences from the institution. If the State Department issues any formal polices about WikiLeaks use, the school will pass along that information to its students, he added.

According to Washington Square News, the newspaper at New York University (NYU), some individuals feel that higher education institutions do not have the right to censor their students.

"I think [a college warning] is encroaching on our First Amendment rights, and the government should not be doing anything about it because it's America," NYU freshman Sneha Banerjee told the news provider.

A student's decision to support or share WikiLeaks documents may also affect their future job prospects, CNN reports. Gregory McNeal, a law professor at Pepperdine University, told the media outlet that some employers especially those associated with national security or the intelligence community may take into an account an applicant's opinion of WikiLeaks.

"The security clearance asks whether or not you're a risk when it comes to sensitive material. This could be one indicator that, when taken together with others, creates a broader pattern that might suggest you're not a person to be hired," McNeal told the news provider.

Government officials clearly believe that college students play an important role in data sharing. In fact, the Army investigated college students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University last July in connection following the release of classified military information on WikiLeaks.

Authorities suspected that several students may have helped Private Bradley Manning share tens of thousands of private documents to the website, according to The New York Times

POST COMMENT

Learn How You Can Hypnotize Someone Very Easily Mothers: Get Your Degree at a Community College Learn To Choose Microsoft 70-647 Exam Simulation Questions And Answers Exam1passs 70-579 Practice Test Questions Types Of College Degrees Microsoft 70-649 Certification Exam Study Guide Atomic Board Doze Must For Colleges: Ugc Citrix 1y0-a15 Exam Study Guide At Exam1pass Exam1pass The Laster Citrix 1y0-a16 Exam Question And Answers Lot-805 Exam Lot-987 Study Guide How To Find The Best Prices For A Learning Tower