We, the undersigned, request NUI Galway to immediately remove access to Social Networking Sites (SNS) such as Facebook in all PC Suites. A previous ban on the Bebo.com SNS was instituted and therefore, a ban on Facebook should follow suit.

1. The college must follow through on its mandate as an educational centre and not permit resource-hogging, non-educational and wasteful activities by students, most of whom are funded by the Irish Taxpayer.

2. Students with legitimate educational activities are forced to wait in line for PC Suite access while a third or more of PCs are occupied by SNS users. Kieran Loftus, director of NUI Galway computer services in 2006, has publicly stated that he has witnessed 35 out of 40 users in a PC suite on an SNS.(iii). Conversely, a ban on Facebook could save the college 33\% or more on PC resources.

3. SNS are a haven for mailicious worms, viruses and data theft trojans (i) that are a direct threat to the safety, security and efficacy of the College network.

4. Facebook has highly controversial privacy policies, gathering granular data about users and owning ALL personal data - indefinitely.(ii)

5. Using SNS for knowledge sharing and job networking can be accomplished in many other ways besides Facebook and does not restrict students from the use and benefit of Web 2.0.

6. The college may, at its discretion, allow students to access SNS and other non-contributory sites from their own portable network devices, based on a paid access model.

References
i. SNS virus danger. http://www.marines.mil/news/messages/Pages/MARADMIN0458-09.aspx accessed October 10 2009
ii. Facebook privacy controversy http://www.watblog.com/2009/02/18/facebook-scapegoat-controversy-and-its-repercussions/ accessed Oct 10 2009
iii. Daily Mail March 27 2006: Scan available at www.johnbreslin.com/wiki/images/8/85/20060327a.pdf accessed Oct 10 2009