Abstract:
The purpose of this Master’s thesis research study was to gain an understanding of the
level of knowledge higher education students have in relation to free speech and social media. Previous studies have indicated that over 80% of students ages 18 to 29 used social media on a daily basis (O’Conner & Schmidt, 2015). Educators and administrators are now having to establish guidelines and rules on the use of social for their campuses because social media usage is so prevalent. Lawsuits are starting to occur where conduct policies may be ambiguous which is causing educators and administrators to establish clear guidelines on acceptable speech (Keefe v. Adams, 2016). This thesis study used a questionnaire survey to inquire about social media usage and free speech understanding and was administered at a public university in the southwestern United States. The intention was to help provide information for educators and administrators who may be researching social media and free speech policy.