I have often been told by junior colleagues that they have been censured by University administrators for posting on Facebook. Other times, I have been told by junior colleagues that they have been sent friend requests by people thay know are spies of the regine. Yet other times, I have been told by junior colleagues that they are scared to like, comment, or share anything own my wall lest they face consequences from the regime. One colleague got so scared of the surveillance that she just deleted her account.
The number of times I have learned about being surveilled has made me over the course of the past five years think about giving up my Facebook posts. In most occassions, I have learned about such surveillance through interactions with those in power who have interrogated me about my Facebook posts, which were mostly set to the "Friends only" setting.
In these interactions, when facing questions, I have made three things clear: (a) my Facebook is a site for pedagogy. What I post on Facebook is an opportunity for me to teach as I interact with students, community researchers, colleagues, activists, and policy makers across the globe through Facebook. My posts therefore, including this post, is a learning opportunity, a part of my everyday work as an academic; (b) the language of my Facebook posts follows a style of pedagogy that follows the norms of social media (Yes, I will swear on FB when the codes of civility need to be disrupted). My posts are often direct, address specific issues bluntly, and in doing so, seek to open up conversations; and (c) I see my Facebook posts as opportunities for conversations and learning across difference. In this sense, I have learned from some powerful debates through Facebook conversations and also hope that have been able to engage Facebook participants on my posts in conversations they found meaningful.
More importantly however, I have interrogated the legitimacy of those in power using my Facebook posts to question me. I have said, "Unless you are my Facebook friend, I don't see any reason why I should be having a conversation with you." That you secured the post through some internal, opaque network that is invisible to me suggests both your questioning and the very act of you securing this post are illegitimate.
Conversation closed.
Now this is for those that surveil my Facebook, quietly and invisibly (to me) "watch my posts," and then forward these posts to those in power.
This is the only time I will write something directly for you, as being an invisible observer who spies on Facebook posts to serve whatever petty goals you have in life, you are not worthy of engagement [to engage is to participate in conversation, in the spirit of argumentation].
That you sent in "friend" requests to colleagues, who trusted you enough to accept this request, only to be betrayed by your acts of surveillance says much about your lack of character.
It breaks my heart to witness your treachery and makes me aware of whom I trust.
That you lack the basic integrity to engage in debate, become visible in doing so, and argue on the basis of concepts speak to your nature: an opportunist that would sell yourself to gain some promise from places of power.
Perhaps you have been promised a cushy pathway for doing this petty surveillance work, perhaps you feel that you need to participate in this surveillance so you can survive in the system, perhaps you tell youself "this is what you need to do to just get by."
Whatever you tell yourself, know this: you lack the integrity and the moral fiber to hold yourself to account. That you have sold yourself, you will have to live with all your life. You can't escape this act of selling out.
Certainly, you are not an academic as you don't understand the fundamental spirit of debate and argumentation that makes up the academe.
And for all its promises, power will only stand with you till you have some "use" for power. That day your use has ended, you will be discarded. Such is the nature of instrumental logics; they are shortlived.
As for me, for a while there, I became paranoid about whom to trust and not trust on Facebook, although this didn't stop me from posting things. I became cautious about posting on Facebook although this didn't silence my voice. I became cautious about whom I accepted as Facebook friends although this too was shortlived. As an academic, I engage with much of the world and often with people who are strangers who become conversational partners, collaborators, and believe it or not, friends in solidarity.
Your act of treachery didn't stop me, and will not stop all those academics who talk and write about change, who imagine pathways for disrupting power, and who participate everyday in acts that seek to transform.
Your pathetic opportunism will keep making you who you are, a less-than-mediocre suck-up to power. And this blog post is set to public, as a learning opportunity for you and your insecure Masters.