'Juicy' issue? Fortunately, not for us
Emily Thiessen
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Opinion
If you've been on Facebook recently, you might have seen, among the always-insistent advertisements for the acai berry cleanse diet or a "free" iPhone, promotions for the Web site JuicyCampus.com.
Like the berry stuff, it might be juicy. But it's also malicious, not to mention slanderous.
Assuming a human penchant for getting the dirt on other humans' lives, JuicyCampus.com seeks to further the rumor mill. It does so by providing an open, completely anonymous forum where literally anyone can post anything.
Furthermore, others can agree or disagree with the post, as well as write replies to it. Matt Ivester, a 2005 Duke University graduate, created the Web site about a year ago, "with the simple mission of enabling online anonymous free speech on college campuses. Today it is a forum where college students discuss the topics that interest them most, and in the manner that they deem most appropriate."
There's little doubt in my mind that these are interesting topics, but appropriate? Hardly. And unless the posts are outright dangerous, expose personal contact information, or are criminal in nature, they are not taken down. In the FAQ of the site, the administrator even goes so far as to suggest that those who desire censorship should move to China. What goes up there is there permanently. Anything, and everything, goes.
The Web site is apparently huge on major university scenes. So what about our little campus, where everyone knows everyone else's business, anyways?
I went onto the Hillsdale section of the site, and delighted over what I saw - just under 10 posts in the past two months. That's hardly a drop in the bucket, especially when compared to the University of Michigan forum, which has about 13 pages full of posts.
But it's still something, and the posts, for the most part, are not kind. And because they are all posted anonymously, the posters will forever remain unknown.
I hate to bring up the ever-controversial Honor Code, but everyone attending here did sign it. And, it does mention, among other things, that we are to be "honorable in conduct [and] honest in word and deed." Participating in a slanderous Web site is none of the above.
Now, I realize I may have opened a can of worms. Students might jump at the chance to get on this Web site and dish all the dirt on their friends. However, Facebook has been running advertisements about this site for months, and so far, Hillsdale's site has remained relatively inactive.
I want instead to commend my peers for their maturity and presence of mind regarding this Web site. While I know that nothing can stop the rumor mill, especially in such a cloistered environment, very few people have gone so far as to anonymously vilify their fellow students. Those who have should seriously examine their motives.
Anonymous libel? Come on. We're smarter - and more honorable - than that.
Like the berry stuff, it might be juicy. But it's also malicious, not to mention slanderous.
Assuming a human penchant for getting the dirt on other humans' lives, JuicyCampus.com seeks to further the rumor mill. It does so by providing an open, completely anonymous forum where literally anyone can post anything.
Furthermore, others can agree or disagree with the post, as well as write replies to it. Matt Ivester, a 2005 Duke University graduate, created the Web site about a year ago, "with the simple mission of enabling online anonymous free speech on college campuses. Today it is a forum where college students discuss the topics that interest them most, and in the manner that they deem most appropriate."
There's little doubt in my mind that these are interesting topics, but appropriate? Hardly. And unless the posts are outright dangerous, expose personal contact information, or are criminal in nature, they are not taken down. In the FAQ of the site, the administrator even goes so far as to suggest that those who desire censorship should move to China. What goes up there is there permanently. Anything, and everything, goes.
The Web site is apparently huge on major university scenes. So what about our little campus, where everyone knows everyone else's business, anyways?
I went onto the Hillsdale section of the site, and delighted over what I saw - just under 10 posts in the past two months. That's hardly a drop in the bucket, especially when compared to the University of Michigan forum, which has about 13 pages full of posts.
But it's still something, and the posts, for the most part, are not kind. And because they are all posted anonymously, the posters will forever remain unknown.
I hate to bring up the ever-controversial Honor Code, but everyone attending here did sign it. And, it does mention, among other things, that we are to be "honorable in conduct [and] honest in word and deed." Participating in a slanderous Web site is none of the above.
Now, I realize I may have opened a can of worms. Students might jump at the chance to get on this Web site and dish all the dirt on their friends. However, Facebook has been running advertisements about this site for months, and so far, Hillsdale's site has remained relatively inactive.
I want instead to commend my peers for their maturity and presence of mind regarding this Web site. While I know that nothing can stop the rumor mill, especially in such a cloistered environment, very few people have gone so far as to anonymously vilify their fellow students. Those who have should seriously examine their motives.
Anonymous libel? Come on. We're smarter - and more honorable - than that.
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