SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

More Facebook woes as students disciplined

Facebook plans to apologise to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh over offensive postings on the popular social networking site.

facebook_screen_0204_b_g_1775222860

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Five more students from a Brisbane school have been disciplined over their behaviour on Facebook as dispute over monitoring the site grows.

The five from Brisbane's Marist College are accused of putting sexually offensive material on a Facebook page dedicated to a female teacher.

The incident has been referred to police.

Yesterday a Year 12 student from the same school was suspended for setting up a Facebook page, saying it will hand over missing Queensland boy Danilel Morecombe.

Facebook 'to apologise' to Bligh

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Earlier, Facebook said it plans to apologise to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh over offensive postings.

Pages set up to honour Queensland children Trinity Bates and Elliott Fletcher, allegedly murdered in separate incidents, have been defaced in the past fortnight.

Illegal material, such as child pornography and bestiality, was posted on the sites, as well as comments about the alleged killers.

A Year 12 student from Queensland's Marist College at Ashgrove has also been suspended for setting up a Facebook page saying it will hand over Daniel Morcombe, who has been missing since 2003, if the page attracts one million members.

Facebook global communications and policy director Debbie Frost told website The Punch she had "never seen anything like this".

She said the company was writing to Ms Bligh, who this week sent it a letter expressing her outrage, and would apologise for the incidents.

Ms Frost said it was almost impossible to deal with this level of individual intent on such cruel and offensive behaviour.

"This is an absolutely tragic case ... I have worked here two years and have never seen anything like this," Ms Frost said.

"I just can't believe that people have no moral compass that they would do this. It's pretty hard to deal with that level of individual."

Rudd mulls online ombudsman

Earlier, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he would look into the idea of appointing an online ombudsman after Facebook tribute pages were defaced with pornography.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon has proposed the appointment of an online ombudsman to deal with such incidents.

"Specifically on Nick's idea, let's look at it," Mr Rudd told the Seven Network on Friday.

"We actually need to do everything we can to combat cyber crime.

"The role of cyber crime and internet bullying on children is frankly frightening and we need to be deploying all practical measures.

"If I was a mum or a dad out there today with little kids, given some of the awful events we've seen in recent days, I'd be legitimately concerned.

"So there's some more stuff to do here."


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world