LONDON
For students at the University of Oxford, Facebook is a great way to keep posted on gossip and parties. For university authorities, it’s a way to find and fine troublemakers.

After exams, students at the historic English university traditionally drop their serious ways and indulge in a spasm of “trashings” — rowdy revels that include getting covered in foam, eggs and flour by their classmates.

In recent years, students have taken to posting photos of the mess on the social networking site Facebook.com.

Martin McCluskey, president of the Oxford University Student Union, told The Associated Press today that disciplinary officers at the 800-year-old university began e-mailing and fining students whose Facebook profiles contained pictures of trashings. The fines range from approximately $80 to $200.

McCluskey sent e-mails to all members warning them that they are being spied upon.

“It’s fairly disgraceful and underhand,” he says. “Disciplinary procedures are supposed to be transparent.”

A university spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, confirmed the practice and said it had started after receiving complaints of unruly student behavior.

“The University Proctors have told the students that they are welcome to meet their friends after their exams but that students who create a mess in the street with food or alcohol, or who indulge in anti-social behavior contrary to university regulations, will be disciplined.”

The student union advised students with Facebook accounts to alter privacy settings “to prohibit members of staff and faculty from viewing your profile and photographs.”

The Web site, which has an estimated 30 million users around the world, has seen its surge in popularity coincide with an increase in the number of individuals getting into trouble because of the content of their personal pages.

Miss New Jersey, Amy Polumbo, reported being blackmailed by a group threatening to reveal racy photos of her if she didn’t relinquish her crown. The photos had been posted on Polumbo’s Facebook site. The beauty queen released the photos herself instead, and will keep her crown.

In April, five students at a Toronto school were banned from an end-of-the-year trip after disparaging remarks about a teacher were found on Facebook.

Alex Hill, a philosophy and mathematics student at Oxford, told The Associated Press that she received a disciplinary e-mail.

Hill said the e-mail stated that three of her photos provided evidence she had engaged in “disorderly” conduct.

“They gave me links to three photos on Facebook where I’ve got shaving foam all over me as examples of my disorderly conduct. I think it’s an appalling thing to do” she said.

The university first introduced fines for misdemeanors in 2004.