Social Media Use Policy for Students -kiet

Purpose

This policy provides clear guidelines for students of Karachi Institute of Economics & Technology (KIET) on the responsible use of social media. It aims to:

• Protect the dignity, safety, and privacy of all members of the institution.
• Safeguard the reputation of KIET.
• Ensure compliance with the laws of Pakistan and directives from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan and relevant regulators; PTA, FIA Cybercrime Wing.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• All registered students of KIET, full-time or part-time.
• All use of social media where a student:
  • Identifies themselves as a student of KIET, or
  • Uses the name, logo, images, or facilities of KIET, or
  • Posts content that impacts the institute (students, faculty, staff, alumni, partners).
• Social media includes (but is not limited to): Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, online forums, and similar platforms.

Legal & Regulatory Alignment

Students must ensure their social media activity strictly aligns with the Constitution and laws of Pakistan, including the provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) concerning hate speech, defamation, blasphemy and other related offences, as well as the provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 governing cyber harassment, cyber stalking, identity theft and malicious content.

Moreover, this policy is informed by the directives of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that promote safe and responsible use of the internet and social media, and the prevention of unlawful or blasphemous content online. In addition, students must abide by KIET’s internal framework including the Student Code of Conduct, the Anti‑Harassment Policy (in compliance with HEC guidelines), the IT/Acceptable Use Policy, and the Examination & Academic Integrity (Anti‑Plagiarism) Policies. Violation of any of these laws or institutional policies may trigger institute disciplinary procedures and may also expose students to legal action by relevant authorities.

General Principles of Responsible Use

Students are expected to:

• Uphold the good name of the institute
  • Do not post content that damages the reputation, image, or interests of KIET.
  • Do not misrepresent yourself as an official spokesperson of the institute.
• Respect dignity, diversity, and religious sentiments
  • No hate speech, sectarian content, vulgarity, or content targeting any religion, ethnic group, gender, or community.
  • Absolutely avoid content that may be considered blasphemous or disrespectful to any religion or sacred personality, in line with HEC-PTA campaigns.
• Maintain academic integrity
  • Do not share exam papers, answer keys, assignments, or plagiarism-enabling content.
  • Do not offer or seek paid assignment writing / thesis writing under your name.
• Protect privacy and confidentiality
  • Do not share private information (photos, videos, contact details, medical or academic records) of other students, faculty, or staff without explicit consent.
  • Avoid secretly recording classes, meetings, or campus situations and posting them publicly without permission, especially where it violates privacy or security.
• Avoid harassment and bullying
  • No cyberbullying, trolling, stalking, threats, sexually explicit remarks, or spreading rumours/gossip about any member of the institute community.
  • Online harassment will be treated similarly to on-campus harassment and handled under the institute’s harassment policy.
• Use respectful language and tone
  • Criticism of ideas, policies or services should be expressed respectfully and constructively.
  • Abusive or derogatory language towards institute employees or students is not acceptable.

Use of Institute Name, Logo & Official Information

• Students may not create pages, groups, or accounts that appear to be official institute accounts without prior written approval from Designated Office.
• Institute logos, crests, and branding may only be used according to official branding guidelines.
• Students must not:
  • Announce unverified “official” news (e.g., exam cancellations, fee deadlines, scholarship announcements).
  • Share confidential internal circulars, minutes of meetings, or staff-only communications without permission.

Academic & Classroom-Related Guidelines

• During class hours (physical or online), students must follow the instructor’s rules about mobile and social media use.
• Sharing lecture recordings, slides, or course content on public platforms without permission is prohibited, especially if it contains other students’ personal data or proprietary material.
• Closed academic groups (WhatsApp, LMS forums, etc.) must be used only for academic purposes; no political campaigning, abusive language or unrelated spam content.

Political, Religious and Sensitive Topics

Students have constitutional rights to personal opinion, but when they link their profile to the institute, they must:

• Clarify that their views are personal and not those of KIET.
• Avoid content that is unlawful, inflammatory, or likely to disturb peace on campus.
• Organizing online campaigns that incite violence, hate, or disruption of academic activities can lead to disciplinary action, including suspension/rustication, in line with institute rules and national law.

Reporting, Monitoring & Support

Reporting Violations

Students who witness harmful or unlawful content involving the institute community should report it to: Relevant Program Office. In cases of cyber harassment, they may also contact the FIA Cybercrime Wing and seek support from institute counseling/harassment committees.

Monitoring

The institute will not routinely monitor private accounts, but it may review publicly available content or specific reports/complaints involving:

• Misuse of institute identity,
• Threats, harassment, or hate speech,
• Leaks of confidential academic/administrative information.

Support & Education

The institute will arrange awareness sessions (often in collaboration with HEC / PTA initiatives) on:

• Safe and responsible use of social media,
• Cybersecurity and privacy,
• Legal consequences of online misconduct.

Disciplinary Consequences

Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, possible actions include:

• Informal warning / counseling
• Written warning placed on student record
• Fines / penalties (as per institute discipline rules)
• Temporary suspension of:
  • access to campus IT resources / Wi-Fi / LMS,
  • student privileges (society positions, hostel facilities, etc.)
• Suspension or rustication from the institute
• Reporting to external authorities (FIA, PTA, police) where laws such as PECA or PPC may have been violated.

All students will have the right to be heard and to follow the due process / appeal mechanism described in the institute’s disciplinary regulations.