The addiction the world has with Facebook is real. People love communicating and sharing with friends and family via the social media juggernaut. In fact, it is so popular, even prison inmates are finding it irresistible to stay away from the platform.

However, inmates in the South Carolina prison system should be extra careful to fight off their Facebook urges based on the stiff penalties the institution is handing out as a result of using it. One man, Tyheem Henry received 37.5 years in solitary confinement for using his Facebook account from jail…and he isn’t the only one.

Yes, you read that correctly. Over 37 years in solitary for using Facebook from inside of the prison. Not sure how the inmate got a smart phone in order to access the social media website, but the penalty seems a bit harsh for the “crime.”

Information about the harsh penalties being handed down by the S.C. prison system came out this week via a report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). EFF issued a Freedom of Information Act request and discovered the states Department of Corrections (SCDC) considered “Creating and/or Assisting With A Social Netowrking Site” — in short, accessing social media sites like Facebook or blogs or email for any reason — a Level 1 offence, the same thing as crimes like murder, rape.

“Since the policy was implemented, SCDC has brought 432 disciplinary cases against 397 inmates, with more than 40 inmates receiving more than two years in solitary confinement,” EFF wrote of the policy.

Solitary confinement isn’t the only thing that happens to inmates like Henry who are caught in violation, but their phone access and visitation rights can be taken away as well.

And what is crazier is the SCDC treats each day the inmate access social media as a separate Level 1 infraction.

“In other words, if a South Carolina inmate caused a riot, took three hostages, murdered them, stole their clothes, and then escaped, he could still wind up with fewer Level 1 offenses than an inmate who updated Facebook every day for two weeks,” EFF wrote.

EFF reported on some of the harshest social media penalties given by the SCDC:

– “In October 2013, Tyheem Henry received 13,680 days (37.5 years) in disciplinary detentionand lost 27,360 day (74 years) worth of telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 69 days of good time—all for 38 posts on Facebook.”

– “In June 2014, Walter Brown received 12,600 days (34.5 years) in disciplinary detention and lost 25,200 days (69 years) in telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 875 days (2.4 years) of good time—all for 35 posts on Facebook.”

– “In May 2014, Jonathan McClain received 9,000 days (24.6 years) in disciplinary detention and lost 18,000 days (49 years) in telephone, visitation, and canteen privileges, and 30 days of good time—all for 25 posts on Facebook.”

At this point, we are not aware of why Mr. Henry, Brown, or McClain are in jail, but the time they are receiving in solitary for accessing Facebook seems like a bit of overkill. Hopefully, it was worth it for them or some sort of justice prevails in this wicked system.

SOUND OFF: What do you think about receiving decades in solitary confinement for using Facebook?

Source: RT