Practices and perceptions of social media’s risks, ethics, and regulations on campus: A model from Cairo University

Alamira Samah Saleh 1 2 *
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1 Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University, Cairo, EGYPT
2 Faculty of Mass Communication, Sinai University, Sinai, EGYPT
* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 15, Issue 1, Article No: e202504. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/15868
OPEN ACCESS   19 Views   13 Downloads   Published online: 20 Jan 2025
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ABSTRACT

Purpose: Many concerns have emerged over how “social media sites” are used, governed, and managed at colleges and universities. News stories, predominantly negative, have highlighted the unprofessional interactions of professors and students. This study investigates professors’ perceptions of the ethical issues of online communication with their students. Consequently, the approach to studying social media policy needs to be refined to the point where data can be leveraged to inform clear and well-supported university ‘decision makers.
Design/methodology/approach: The study, based on a qualitative design and using semi-structured interviews (20 interviews), analyzed the concerns, required controls, and nature of the information that a sample of Cairo University staff indicated.
Findings: As more cases emerge in the university that involve students, staff, leaders, and employees, the study of freedom of speech and ethics of social media in the future become a must to frame well the implications and ethical consequences of the conundrums calls for SNS policies based on a liberal ethical framework.
Originality/value: The current study sought to fill a significant gap in the circulation of university information and the management of relations between university members through SNS. It should uncover how important and urgent it is to regulate social media use or inappropriate behaviors on campus. Additionally, it should shed light on how the efforts to regulate these types of technology help or hinder the educational experience on campus. Which policies seem to be more effective? Are there any unintended consequences of attempting to regulate social media use?
Keywords: higher education, Cairo University, campus freedom of speech, social media policy, online expression, academic community, legal entitlements, ethical discourse

CITATION

Saleh, A. S. (2025). Practices and perceptions of social media’s risks, ethics, and regulations on campus: A model from Cairo University. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 15(1), e202504. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/15868

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