By Julia Gardiner

The online mega-hit known as "Facebook" has recently evolved into a tool for some university administrators to identify students who violate university policies.

A social network connecting college students nationwide, Facebook.com lets users post personal information, photos and comments for their friends and classmates to view. The site prohibits nudity, but does not screen for images of potentially illegal activities.

However, this electronic trail of photos and messages is now being used as incriminating evidence against students at some universities.

According to SUNY-Potsdam's newspaper, the Racquette, Fisher College in Boston expelled a student for posting negative comments about a university police officer. Students at Northern Kentucky University were punished for posting pictures of a drinking party and Kansas State University used Facebook to look for those who may have broken the campus's honor code when students used the site to trade information unbeknownst to the professor.

Controversy has erupted, with many contending that universities that seek out incriminating information from a source entirely unaffiliated with the school are invading students' constitutional right to privacy.

Ed Bracht, director of public safety, considers monitoring students via Facebook an invasion of privacy unless specifically referenced in a complaint.

"I would not use it as a fishing expedition," Bracht said. "However, if a complaint was made, I would be obliged to follow through. It depends on the severity of the crime and how you came about the information."

Students agreed with Bracht, stating that using Facebook to monitor students is an invasion of privacy.

"It's espionage. It's not just searching, it's monitoring," Tim Gann, a freshman film studies/production major, said. "They're going online to find cause to investigate us."

Many feel that a photo does not even constitute solid evidence.

"How is it proof if you don't catch the person in action? Isn't that against our whole legal system?" Elizabeth Schmermund, a junior creative writing major, said.

Others counter that since the Internet is public domain, Facebook's content is open to scrutiny.

"If a student puts a picture on the Internet it's fair game," Michael Rieger, a communications major, said. "Why would anyone, including an administrator, be unable to use it?"

"That's [open viewing] the whole point of a blog," Matthew Boyle, a freshman, said.

The issue is further complicated when an image of a student engaging in an illegal activity is posted without their knowledge, Bracht said.

"It's an invasion of that person's rights if they don't authorize the illegal pictures."