Do You Know Where Your Children Are (posted)?

FROM ROSS NUNAMAKER

Do You Know Where Your Children Are (posted)?

Recently a reader emailed about a page on Facebook that their child pointed out to them. It is called NAHS’s Best. I had another reader contact me about this page or a similar one a little while back, but opted at the time not to post about it. There is another similar page titled Nahs Realest.

I want to begin by saying, these types of pages, whether on Facebook or elsewhere are going to exist, just like videos are posted of fights and other things that ought not to be. I’m certainly glad I grew up not being recorded and documented on a 24/7 basis.

Given that, I think it is important that parents are aware that these exist and that your child could be included in them with or without their permission.

I’m assuming these crop up and get shut down on a more less regular basis as both appear to have started in January. As of this morning considering HS enrollment of around 400 per class or 1600 students, about 264 for Realest and 632 for Best. Realest notes it is only for current NHS students, while Best notes MS students can join but won’t have access to albums.

I understand that in school there have long been cliques and groups with tags and stereotypes. At times there were lists of these that got passed around and talked about. Technology has made these available worldwide, complete with pictures, descriptions, opinions, and names.

Both sites create albums around tags for students and post photos of the students.

Realest had an album of Cutest Couples, okay, not horribly bad, but Best began with Hair, Prettiest Girl and evolved to include Stoners, Sluts, and Partiers.

The stoners album was added today. It features photos of students that are labeled as Stoners. Good news for the students is that the photos are not tagged to them (of course if they were, the individual would be notified).

The Nazareth Sluts and Manwhores is a different story. The comment about the album reads: “PLEASE DO NOT TAKE NEGATIVELY! most of these are requests, and i mean ayeeee if your gettin it in your doing something right. so note,even though the name this is NOT a negative page ! BTW if i put girls in here, you better suck it up, dont bitch about it. if guys get credit for being sluts, girls do too.”

Photos include first names with comments including most requested.

The same is true on the LIVE album, which is for people who party, some of these photos not only include the first name, but images with alcoholic beverages.

I’m sure many of the students don’t see this as anything more than funny or calling a spade a spade. Unfortunately, more colleges and employers are using social media to learn about prospects. And I wonder what the liability to the site owner would be if something negatively happens to an individual who is targeted (suicide?).

Again, this post isn’t to rant and rave about having the site, but to make parents more aware of the online dangers that exist for their children, and ones they may be participating in not recognizing the long term ramifications and potential consequences.

Posted via email from Ross Nunamaker

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