Spring Break
College web page spreads rumors
Alexandria Phillips
Issue date: 1/16/09 Section: News
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"C'mon. Give us the juice. Posts are totally 100 percent anonymous," JuicyCampus.com has posted in the top right hand corner of their web site.
Students are reporting that they are addicted to JuicyCampus, some say JuicyCampus and Facebook are the only two sites they always keep open, while others have reported being late to class because they just couldn't get enough.
"Why just gossip with the few receptive people you might encounter in person, when you can connect to many more through gossip web sites?" Evan Forman, associate professor of psychology, asked.
According to JuicyCampus, "this is the place to spill the juice about all the crazy stuff going on at your campus. It's totally anonymous, no registration, login or email verification required."
"The power of anonymity is amazing because you can't possibly know what's true and what's not, or who said it. It gives people the invincible feeling to say things that are baseless and just outright lies without any consequences," Steve Quatrani, InterFraterinity Council president, said.
As the brainchild of 2005 Duke university graduate Matthew Ivester, JuicyCampus.com is becoming more wide spread as the weeks go by; since its launch, JuicyCampus has received more than 10,000 requests for campuses to be added to the site.
"This is the same gossip that used to happen offline. As college students spend more time on the Internet, it should be no surprise that gossip is moving online," Ivester said.
According to JuicyCampus, the site attracts tens of thousands of visitors a day.
"It's all ridiculous. I don't understand what our obsession is about other people's business. It's like crack. We can't stop putting our nose where it doesn't belong," Tim Harper, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said.
According to JuicyCampus, the site is not meant for use by those under the age of eighteen, however the site does not block minors from the site nor do they verify the age of their users.
Additionally, users are asked to adhere to guidelines, but JuicyCampus does not pre-screen content as it is posted.
The site reserves the right to remove posts at its discretion; however, it stands by its position of not censoring the content, allowing students to discuss the topics that interest them most, in the manner they deem appropriate.
According to the JuicyCampus web site, "facts can be untrue. Opinions can be stupid, or ignorant, or mean-spirited, but they can't be untrue. And we believe everyone is entitled to their opinion."
However, Quatrani disagrees.
"A negative comment, whether it's just joking or teasing or made up for fun can have big and un-thought of repercussions," Quatrani said.
According to Forman, the Internet naturally serves as an extension of gossip.
"In modern times the media, including the Internet, makes us all feel more connected to one another and we can even come to feel close connections with celebrities because we hear so much from and about them," Forman said.
Many Drexel students disagree with the motives of JuicyCampus.
"I feel JuicyCampus.com is nothing but bad publicity for Drexel," Mary Cate Cassidy, president of Phi Mu Sorority, said.
"This gossip was really personal and kind of disgusting. The stuff on that site is very ridiculous and most is written out of rage," Jill Patel, a sophomore majoring in international business and marketing, said.
A portion of the posts categorized under Drexel University reference members of Greek life or individual fraternities and sororities, while other posts are about individual people or events.
According to Katie Peoples, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, leaders in the Greek community at Drexel have collectively decided to refrain from posting on JuicyCampus.com.
"Unfortunately, there are people that base their opinions of fraternities and sororities on stereotypes and rumors, rather than personal experience," Peoples added. "The Drexel fraternity and sorority experience is based on scholarship, leadership, community service and brotherhood/sisterhood, not tasteless gossip."
According to Quatrani, when JuicyCampus first became a significant issue in the fall, both the IFC and individual fraternities alike encouraged members to refrain from posting on the we site.
"Unfortunately, there remains certain stigma's about Greek life that those unfamiliar with Drexel Greek life choose to focus on and highlight," Quatrani said.
Cassidy specifically asked her sorority to avoid the web site all together as well.
"I hope the Drexel community as a whole will decide to do the same, so we stop utilizing JuicyCampus.com all together," Cassidy said.
However, at least twenty-one of the one hundred and one posts during December 2008 referenced, in some way, members either of the Greek community or an individual fraternity or sorority.
"On many campuses Greeks have highly visible leadership positions and are amongst the most social students, so it is no surprise that they are popular topics of conversation," Ivester said.
"I think it's important for people to realize that although it is anonymous you are still affecting an organization or student that has worked hard to get where they are at," Quatrani said.
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