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Internet groups pose problems
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Written by Alyssa Brown
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Tuesday, 01 September 2009
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 | | Photo from Facebook.com | | HURTFULCOMMENTS— Social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace allow users to post harmful content directed at groups or individuals. This type of content is generally prohibited by the terms of use agreements of these websites; however, it is impossible for these companies to catch everything. |
Carlee Weber, senior, watches in gym class as her teammate, Lauren Fritz, misses the volleyball once again. “I’m going to make a Facebook group called Lauren Fritz sucks at volleyball,” Weber says. Her team then launches into a discussion of what Facebook groups they could make when they arrive home that night.
The popular website Facebook is being used for not only for communicating personal information to friends and family but for cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is harassing people by way of the Internet, either by spreading rumor, insults or vulgar pictures.
Facebook.com is a social website designed to connect people with three networks: high schools/colleges, companies, or regions. Each is a “separate community,” cut off from the other ones, increasing privacy and security.
Personal Facebook pages consist of pictures uploaded by the user, along with areas where they can fill in personal information about themselves. Guests can join the group and post comments.
Although there are other websites like Facebook, this website seems to be the one everyone uses to make groups, whether they be good or bad.
The Beak ‘n’ Eye found several sites that attacked specific West students or groups. One group is titled: “(student’s name) is a dumbsh**.”
Two refer to drinking: “We Lose. We Booze. The West High Way” and “West High Falcons… Kinda bad at sports, Exceptionally good at drinking.”
Another is called “I go to West High and I’m not a f***ing redneck… So quit your sh** talking.”
About 57 percent of West students have a Facebook, and of those 32 percent have joined a hate group according to a Beak ‘n’ Eye survey of 175 students.
Derek Petersen, sophomore, created a group entitled “West Connection is a CULT.”
“I don’t really hate it,” explains Petersen. “I was comparing it to a cult because when show choir season rolls around, all of my friends who are in show choir are always ‘SHOW CHOIR! SHOW CHOIR! SHOW CHOIR!’”
Some took offense to it though, like Kelly Kretschmer, a junior in West Connection. “It’s fine if he feel’s that way,” said Kretschmer, “But I don’t feel like he should force his opinion on others. I guess it’s his choice and he has freedom of speech. I would never say anything mean about him, that’s why it was hurtful when he made that group about something that means so much to a lot of people.”
Other groups attack not just a group of people, but a certain person.
“It’s stupid,” said a West junior, who had a group made about her by a jealous friend after she slept with her ex-boyfriend. “If you want to talk crap, at least say it to my face, not by making a group bashing me.” She said she was more mad that this person used to be her friend than the negative comments posted by her.
The problem goes broader than West, with hate groups not just aimed at people but also for white power among other things. They get around filters Facebook has set up by misspelling words so that the filter doesn’t recognize the words, hence it doesn’t delete the group.
But why do people make hate groups?
“A lot of the reasons kids make or join hate groups is if they don’t fit into the main groups at school, or even fit in their own home,” said Lisa Covington, guidance counselor. “They’re just trying to fit in, (and) they do things over the Internet they wouldn’t do face to face because they feel the Internet is anonymous.”
Participating in a hate groups can also have disciplinary and legal consequences.
“Students that have used computers or the Internet to state things that is in direct violation of the district policy may receive consequences through the school or through the law,” said Nancy Jacobson, principal.
Those who publish untrue statements that damage another person’s reputation may be sued for libel as well.
Facebook terms of use state that when you sign up for the website, you agree not to not to “upload, post, transmit, share, store or otherwise make available any content that we deem to be harmful, threatening, unlawful, defamatory, infringing, abusive, inflammatory, harassing, vulgar, obscene, fraudulent, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable.”
Viewers can report a group that is offensive to them by clicking the “Report Group” button at the top right part of the group’s website. Facebook recently removed a group that was critical of a student who was charged in connection with a bomb threat
Some groups made on Facebook are not bad however. Some support West, such as wrestling, volleyball, and basketball. One claims: “I wish I was cool enough to be on the West High Drumline.”
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