The social networking site has raised questions in schools over whether faculty and students can be Facebook friends, reports the national daily Helsingin Sanomat.

“Facebook has brought forward a new debate to the school world: Can teachers and students be friends on Facebook?

Some teachers approve of their students’ friendship requests despite the fact that such approval enables both parties access to each other’s personal Facebook profiles. In these profiles one can observe and comment on the other’s messages and pictures. Some teachers only allow students to see a restricted profile.

A large proportion of teachers under 35 are in Facebook. There is less participation in the site among older faculty members.

The education departments of Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Oulu have not given any general guidelines with regards to Facebook. According to Pekka Fredriksson, the head of the basic education department in Oulu, the teachers’ own judgement is the basic criterion in these matters.

For its part, the Youth Department in Helsinki has told employees not to accept youths connected to their work as Facebook friends. ‘This advice has been given so that employees would not be overburdened, but there is no ban,’ says Suvi Kuikka, the head of the Youth Department’s online service. ‘A working group is drafting a guideline for this matter. It should come at the end of summer. Usually these directions come late because so many are already in Facebook.’”

HELSINGIN SANOMAT 23 May. MIMOSA LINDSTRÖM