In South Carolina, accessing Facebook while in prison is an offense on par with murder, rape, rioting, escape and hostage-taking. In 2012, the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) made, “Creating and/or Assisting With A Social Networking Site,” a Level 1 offense. Accessing Facebook is thus counted as a Level 1 offense, resulting in extreme punishments. The SCDC has so far sent almost 400 inmates in solitary confinement for using social media websites. The most severe punishments for using social media included:
- In October of 2013, Tyheem Henry received 13,680 days (37.5 years) in disciplinary detention and lost 27,360 day (74 years) worth of telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 69 days of good time—all for 38 posts on Facebook.
- In June 0f 2014, Walter Brown received 12,600 days (34.5 years) in disciplinary detention and lost 25,200 days (69 years) in telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 875 days (2.4 years) of good time—all for 35 posts on Facebook.
- In May of 2014, Jonathan McClain received 9,000 days (24.6 years) in disciplinary detention and lost 18,000 days (49 years) in telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 30 days of good time—all for 25 posts on Facebook.
An Electronic Frontier Foundation investigation found that if a South Carolina inmate caused a riot, took three hostages, murdered them, stole their clothes, and then escaped, he could still wind up with fewer Level 1 offenses than an inmate who updated Facebook everyday for two weeks.
Interestingly, Facebook has assisted the SCDC in censoring its inmates and violating their privacy. According to the EFF investigation, in response to requests from state officials, Facebook suspended inmates’ profiles for violating their Terms of Service (ToS). It even suspended profiles of inmates who did not violate its ToS. However, Facebook didn’t take any action against SCDC investigators who violated the same ToS by logging into inmates’ profiles.
Given the extreme psychological effects solitary confinement has on inmates, a number of states have begun limiting the categories of inmates that can spend time in solitary confinement — New York recently announced it would stop putting adolescents in isolation. Prisons and jails across the country have been looking for new ways to keep inmates off the internet.
SCDC’s system allows prison administrators to hold inmates longer, in harsher conditions, and to largely cut them off from the rest of the world. It is high time that South Carolinians demand a review of how this policy is applied. Facebook must also re-evaluate its role in helping prison systems censor and excessively punish inmates. Steps Facebook should take include:
- Stop censoring inmates without first evaluating whether a serious ToS violation has occurred.
- Eliminate the inmate take down feature, or at least, ensure that a public record is generated every time a prison official files a take down request and every time Facebook complies.
- Revise its transparency report to include detailed numbers of take down requests Facebook has received, what agency sent each request, and how Facebook responded.
- Hold law enforcement agencies, such as prisons, accountable for abusing Facebook’s ToS.
SOURCES:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/02/13/3622848/solitary-south-carolina-facebook/
Why do they even have access to a computer much less facebook? Sorry they are in prison not club Med.
they don’t have computers retard. Guards sneak in phones and sell them to the inmates. Maybe save your comments for when you actually know what you are talking about.
Hi komer just wanted to say I think you have the mind of a 5 year old or are just a sheep or are just plain retarded. Anyone over the age of 6 knows that guards sneak in contraband to the inmates. Second wtf is club med. lol
what is the matter with you? Why shouldn’t people in prison have access to the internet? The punishment is *supposed* to be loss of *liberty*, and that alone. You don’t have to be vicious about it.
Or perhaps you don’t actually value liberty that highly, since taking that away doesn’t even count with you.
Yeah, guess that’s it.
This story is just too weird. Facebook is a bigger offence than murder and escape? The people in charge really should have more common sense.
that could be a proof that they have a communication device smuggled in and they could use it to organize a riot or escape. in every prison a communication device is one of the top priorities contraband.
I was told by a friend that they can buy ipod type devices here in Oregon, from the DOC canteen, that have e-mail capability. I’m not sure if they are able to access the internet with them but I’m sure they can communicate with someone on the outside that could post an update for them.