Juicy Campus is dead, but the desire to spout uninformed opinions anonymously on the Internet is alive and well. The website CollegeACB.com has come to fill the void in the hearts of people who cannot help but dish dirt on their classmates while avoiding the fear of accountability. And while such base entertainment is not without its fans, the University’s community of trust is not the appropriate place for such juvenile behavior. One component of honor is being held accountable for one’s actions, and as such, students at the University should take it upon themselves to not post on anonymous gossip Web sites.
Anonymous web posting is a free speech issue and should not be subject to any sort of control outside of an immediate danger posed to someone (e.g. a death threat). Anonymity on the Internet is a right that should be allowed so long as the user is not performing an illegal action. In addition, free speech is the cornerstone of debate and necessary in order for people to come to reasoned conclusions about a wide number of issues. No matter how unpopular or ill-informed someone’s stance on an issue is, they have the ultimate right to say what they would like.
The problem with Web sites like CollegeACB.com is not that they are stretching the bounds of what is legal, but that they are promoting a culture of unaccountability. When people are not held accountable for their words, homophobia, sexism, racism, and other uninformed opinions fly freely. The problem is not the content of these opinions, but that these opinions are not presented in a fair environment in which they may be responded to. Anonymous gossip Web sites allow people to make disparaging remarks about one group or another without ever forcing the person to view the feedback to their comments. If someone wants to make racist comments, that is his right to do so, but he should at least have the courage and sense of honor to attach his name to his words and respond to arguments against his position.
This is especially true for students at the University who have pledged to hold themselves to the honor code. Despite the fact that gossip Web sites attempt to keep their users anonymous, it could be assumed that people posting on the University section of the Web site are University students. Honor Committee Chair Jess Huang, pointed out that, “If a student is representing themselves as a U.Va. student, then they are potentially committing the honor offense of lying.” Obviously the Committee is not going to track the IP addresses of users posting on anonymous gossip Web sites to catch students telling lies about their classmates, but the fact is that anyone who claims to be a part of the University community should hold themselves to the values of honor that the University attempts to promote, even when the person is not recognizable by name or face.
I am not proposing that the University attempt to curtail students’ access to CollegeACB.com. I am proposing that University students take it upon themselves to no longer visit anonymous gossip Web sites. The University has a reputation for its honorable young men and women, a characteristic that is unique among American universities. In order to maintain the University’s reputation of honor, students must either discuss University issues that currently appear on anonymous gossip Web sites in an open forum with the University community, or not at all.
If the topics discussed on CollegeACB.com were brought out into the open, perhaps real progress could be made in discussing issues of diversity and prejudice. The closest one gets to seeing an open discussion of issues such as homophobia on Grounds is during the football games when certain students remind the other team that they are not gay. Despite the fact that I hang my head in shame when this homophobia is broadcast on national television, I can at least respect the students who are willing to say what they think out loud, without feeling the need to remain anonymous. Students who shout “Not gay!” during the “Good Ol’ Song” open themselves up to debate when it comes to the issue of homophobia, whereas someone posting anonymously on the Internet that they dislike homosexuality or homosexual people does not allow for the issue to be debated in a fair and open environment. In addition, topics that are not worth discussing will not be discussed when anonymity cannot divide people from their hateful speech. I’m sure less people will be referred to as “ugly” or “a slut” when whoever is making baseless claims is unable to hide behind his computer monitor.
Student self-governance, the honor code, and the University community as a whole rely on students being able to speak honestly and openly about issues which have an impact on their everyday life. Anonymous gossip Web sites inhibit open and free debate while encouraging people to make ridiculous statements without worrying about the content of their speech. Any University student who has respect for his peers, the University, and himself should not access anonymous gossip Web sites and should discuss any issues which require discussion in an open and honest forum in which all students can debate freely and be confronted directly.
Michael Khavari’s column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at m.khavari@cavalierdaily.com.
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