31 UK unis have admitted to ‘monitoring’ their students’ social media accounts
Alexa, play ‘Obsessed’ by Mariah Carey
Summer Goodkind31 UK universities have admitted to “monitoring” or “listening to” their students’ social media accounts.
15 universities also said they use specific software to carry out social media listening – which identifies what is being said about the institution online via tags and mentions.
An investigation saw 130 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to every university in the country. Many institutions claimed that they carry out the “monitoring of keywords and discussions” on public social media platforms daily – according to the Express.
This is not the first time that a uni’s surveillance of students has been picked up. Four months ago, it was reported by The Tab that Manchester’s Vice Chancellor, Nancy Rothwell, had been personally tracking the social media of student protestors.
One student protestor, Ben McGowan, said the universities tracking of him made him feel “extremely uncomfortable”.
He told The Tab: “The university appeared to have been monitoring my social media but also it seems on-campus security were even tracking my movements at times. In the report there’s some incidents where security guards name me by my full name and then say ‘he’s going to x place’.
Campaigners have criticised universities for suppressing free speech, comparing the monitoring of students’ social media accounts to “the workings of a dictatorship”. As a result, many have called on universities to be more transparent about how they operate.
Ben added: “It’s definitely a weird feeling that an institution whose main purpose is supposed to be providing you with an education, is actually spending more of its time going out of its way to spy on you.”
A spokesperson for Do Better Academia, a group of volunteers campaigning for accountability in universities, said: “Universities portray themselves as bastions of free speech and integrity. However, a campaign of surveillance of students’ social media is akin to the workings of a dictatorship trying to suppress free speech.
“Universities’ sinister behaviour shows that there must be transparency and accountability in how universities operate because they cannot be trusted to act properly by themselves.”
Related stories recommended by this writer:
• This law student used his degree to sue his landlord – and WON
• Named and shamed: The 17 Russell Group unis failing to recruit enough working class students
• These are the UK universities producing the most millionaires
Co-star romances and age-gap relationships: All of Paul Hollywood’s biggest controversies
Lydia Spencer-ElliottHe’s back handing out handshakes on another series of The Great British Bake Off
Boo! These are officially the most haunted UK unis in 2023, based on ghost sightings
Emily SmithThere have been 59 ghost sightings at one UK uni
MAFS gossip column: Jordan responds to fight scandal and cast knew each other before the show?!
Hayley SoenThe drama really never ends!
Tour buses and family dramas: A brief history of One Direction’s run-ins with the law
Liam Payne has just had his driver’s license suspended
‘You’re scared to step outside’: Two women share their stories of being stalked at uni
This doesn’t only happen to celebrities like Holly Willoughby
Another one! People spot a further editing error in MAFS questioning a staged dinner
Nothing is sacred anymore
Um, the video of Georges squatting has been revealed and you absolutely have to watch it
Ellie RingGive this man all the baguettes
Attention pickpocket! The uni cities where you’re most likely to have your phone stolen
I’m switching back to a Nokia brick after this
Meet Lauren Sintes: The 27-year-old model joining the cast of Made in Chelsea
Of course she’s well connected with most of the cast
Rugby boys and the cleaning rota: Just 19 uni things that are none of my business
The hygiene rating of my fave kebab shop has nothing to do with me!
From secret hookups to cheating: All the biggest bombshells from the Love Is Blind reunion
I’m in shock at all of these
Why do posh people sleep with all their mates? A very serious investigation
The Made in Chelsea mayhem has gone on long enough
‘You’ve made a c*** of yourself’: Shona shares off-screen chat that saw Brad axed from MAFS
‘Bradley said he was behaving like a caged animal’
MAFS UK star Chanita Stephenson calls out the current cast for being a ‘bit too wild!’
She thinks they’re on the show ‘for fun’ and are not ‘focusing on their marriages’
‘Go f**k yourself’: Luke calls out ‘snake’ in MAFS cast who ‘sold’ story of him having a fight
It was revealed today Luke has been removed from the show following a physical fight
Luke has been AXED from Married at First Sight UK following physical fight with Jordan
The incident was caught on camera