www.ownwhatyouthink Antithesis to Juicy Campus
64"Own What You Think" Accountabllity in action!
Responsibility in using the Internet should be an issue for all of us, not just those at www.ownwhatyouthink!
The internet is a powerful tool.
When it is used in positive ways it is something that improves the quality of life and gives added help to individuals in their quest for knowledge and growth.
However, when it is used for evil or malice it can be detrimental to all internet users in the "web society" as a whole. Responsible internet use should be ever present on our minds and in our hearts, if not for now, for the future generations we have charge over.
Anonymity gives false power!
Anonymity gives a person the ability to be something they really are not.
One of the problems that can be faced by networking, or on-line communication, is the power of anonymity. It is certainly much easier to express ones opinion, for example in a blog or a post, then to do so face to face with the individual that may hold an opposing view.
Anonymity can give one a sense of false empowerment, or security, to give expression in ways that they might never have even dreamed of before.
"Juicy Campus" a new disease.
Warning danger ahead!
One such source that has surfaced among the University level web user is called "Juicy Campus." Not to promote the degrading and offensive site, but simply to inform the public of this predator amongst our midst, an explanation of what "Juicy Campus" is, is required.
Gossip or Networking? You decide.
Say anything about anyone and with no accountability!
Founder of this gossip spewing site is Matt Ivester, a 2005 Duke University graduate, who simply professes to have had a desire to create a site about "all the ridiculous things we did and the hilarious stories." Instead the site has turned into an on-line smear campaign damaging reputations and ruining lives.
The site promotes an anonymous forum giving users a chance to post anything about anyone they want, whether it is true or false. It talks about people who do drugs, reveals who might be gay, who is promiscuous, who is pretty, who is fat, how many boys has a certain girl slept with, and other "useful" college information. The site implores its users to post "juicy" items to increase traffic views. Names and even phone numbers and addresses are posted on the site, and according to Ivester, there is no intention of taking them off.
Why would anyone want to visit a site like this?
The site itself was introduced to a few campuses around the country, and has now spread to 60 different schools like a dreaded disease.
Its popularity soared from a few thousand hits to more than 250,000 page views in a matter of months. Some people just couldn't get enough of the gossip that was spread on the site, while others were constantly checking to make sure they were not the next target.
Numbers of the positive posts made to the students.
You Can't Take Me Down
www.ownwhatyouthink.com
An antithesis to this nasty plague has surfaced in a site called http://www.ownwhatyouthink.com/ .
It is an example of what students who desire to take control back over their lives can do, uniting with power to stop a site like "Juicy Campus", by taking a stand against it. These are students at Princeton University, led by sophomore class president Connor Diemand-Yauman.
The group started their campaign by wearing shirts saying "Anonymity = Cowardice." They collected positive statements about other students and projected them on a screen for the entire campus to see to try and regain harmony in their school.
On their website they state that they seek to "unite people and bring personal accountability back into the ways in which we communicate and interact with each other." In an attempt to have an arena where students can collaborate in a constructive manner they have created this site, battling the enemy at large.
Poster Campaign- You can't take me down!
Other student groups are following the example of "Own What You Think."
According to a report done by 20/20, Diemand-Yauman said, ""Princeton should be an example that we can change things, that we don't have to sit down and just hope that it will go away, I don't think we truly understand how empowering it can be to read something positive."
Following on the heels of Princeton, Pepperdine University's student government tried to have the site banned from the school's computers, while several Facebook groups have sprung up against the site also. These groups are imploring students to simply stop logging into and using the site.
The Love Wall
Our future generation will make a difference in the world!
As I read about the one terrible site that was spreading though our schools like a scourge I was disheartened by the lack of accountability that was shown by the creators of the site. It made me saddened to think that others were suffering by the cruel remarks and slander that was posted on this "tabloid" about our youth.
But, as sad as I am about that, I wanted to take time to rejoice in the hope and encouragement that was exhibited by a promising generation as they untied to form the "Own What You Think" group.
Hats off to you my friends; there is still a future for us to dream of! A few good people united can still make a difference!
Power of Positive Support
Let's give this group some positive exposure... give it a thumbs up if you liked the Hub...social bookmark it so others can view it too.
How have you seen the youth of today exhibit positive influences to society?...tell us in a comment.
Share it! — Rate it: up down [flag this hub]
Comments
Solarshingles,
You are soooo right. Unified we can make a difference, we can be superheroes! lol It is so much nicer to be positive don't you think? Thanks for your awesome comments!
"Anonymity = Cowardice." That's an easy thing to say when you live in a free and democratic country. For those of who us can lose our jobs, residence or liberty for saying the wrong thing anonymity is the only realistic choice.
That was an awful site, unreal how people don't use their brains and can be so cruel. Words can cut deeper than any knife some times....But...Karma is all I can say to those posting the negative vuglar junk, what you sow, so shall you reap...very sad. Great article though and those students at Princeton....God bless everyone of them. The Law of attraction= what you think you shall recieve...and I for one am trying my best to think positive everyday. I just found on youtube.com a channel there called World Wide Good News they let people upload nothing but positive videos it's very inspiring and uplifting. Great work In The Doghouse!!!
qatarvisitor,
Once again your comments have reminded me of how much freedom is taken for granted. I am saddened by the fact that anonymity is a reality for some. In the case spoken of, the defamation of ones character as encouraged by the negative site, is one of the cowardly ways shown of remaining anonymous. I am sure that is what the students at the positive site were attempting to point out. Thank you for making us aware that anonymity for some may simply be required in life.
prosperity maker,
Yes, I would agree that Juicy Campus is an "awful site." I am also with you on the power of positive thinking...those Princeton kids are awesome! Thanks for your comments on the Hub and sharing the positive influences that are being offered on YouTube.
In the doghouse,
I am glad I visited your hub. It is thought provoking to say the least, especially in the light of the recent MySpace case in California where a woamn may face felony charges for misusing MySpace under an alias. I suspect there will be more court cases used to hammer all these issues out. It is a topic needing discussion and debate.
Hi Doghouse, Sorry if my comment was a bit out of context. A bit different when anonomty is abused, I guess. It's a bit different in many countries. The country I am in is really not that bad compared to some of its neighbours. However, even posting anonymously, we are constantly trying to work out just what we can say and how far we can go on the blog and the website. Sometimes I worry if I take it too far - I thought this post: http://qatarvisitor.blogspot.com/2007/12/purpose-o might get us censored!
JD,
I contemplated adding the recent MySpace scandal, but just decided not to...however, I do believe that these issues are just beginning to be raised as you do. I simply feel we need to applaud the positive approach some students are taking to combat the problem. Hooray for them! Thanks for stopping by.
qatar,
No problem! I have visited your blog in the past and have enjoyed it very much. BTW did you realize you have become famous by the movie Transformers? I was asking my family at lunch where exactly Qatar was and they replied, "Why? Did you want to know where they were in Transformers?" I thought you might get a chuckle out of that one! lol
This hub is great. Luckily for me, even though I am a university student I haven't felt the brunt of juicy campus's evil lol....this hub is great for raising awareness though...I'm glad I read it!
osiris,
I am so glad that you have not been the recipient of the trash that is circulating on that smut site. I was wondering if truely most univerity students had even heard of it...I will ask tomorrow in my branch at church (I am in a YA Singles Branch). It is always good to get the DL from them! lol Keep on roofin'!
Doghouse, thank you for sharing this. That is really awful, but I'm so glad that there is a group working against it! This makes me very glad that I am college aged anymore. Gossip is such a destructive force and that site just propells it to an entirely different level.
Hi Amy,
I am glad to be passed that arena in my lifetime as well. The garbage that is available for our youth today is amazing! It is for this reason I chose to write about the positive influence the "few" were trying to acheive. You are so right, gossip is so destructive, and this level it is absolutely life threatening. Thanks for your comments and additional insights.
Doghouse - excellent! Like Amy and you, I am soooo happy not to be a part of that college culture anymore. But I worry about if the site spreads to mainstream, like facebook or myspace. I deal with some "grown up" children pretty often that I can see using/abusing this.
Steph,
Sooooo true! I read the 20/20 report on the issue and the person who created the site has seen that all the "legal" angles have pretty much been covered, so he is in the clear as far as the law goes. I think that promotion of the positive alternatives is the only real answer to the problem. Don't go and visit the site, it is that simple. If nobody participated it would die out. One can hope at least that it is simply a "flash in the pan" endeavour. Thanks for your thoughts.
I have no intention of visiting the site! Thanks for the additional info! Scary stuff.
Another winner of a hub. I've never heard of this site and have no plans to visit. On the flip side, a revival in accountability is needed throughout our culture. This is a topic too large to cover in one comment, or a dozen plus hubs. Thanks for bringing the positive out from the dark.
Steph,
Oh, I didn't mean you, I meant anyone in general, as a way to lower traffic. Sorry if you thought I was implying otherwise. Thanks again for your comments.
Rob,
Thank you for the compliment on the Hub. I too think that we all need to be more accountable for our actions, and yes, that would be quite a topic to discuss. This site, however, does nothing to police the comments made on it, in fact it is somewhat of a horrible tabloid about college students. I think growing up is hard enough without having your actions memorialized on the internet forever. I hope it is soon forgotten. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Thanks for posting this. I don't even want to visit the site, I'll take your word for it :)
I see the nastiness of anonynimity on some of the political boards I visit. It's quite sad that debate for some people has come down to name calling.
Uninvited Writer,
Thank you for reading and commenting. I think that this is a very awesome group of students who are trying to combat the negative site. They deserve our attention, and like you stated, visiting the other site does not! Thanks for the added support.
It's amazing how unthinking college students can be. This was true when I was at NYU in the '50s and '60s as well. Personally, I think these gossipers crave attention, and ignoring their idiotic behavior is the best way to handle them. Creating "positive" groups merely feeds their frenzy. As far as I'm aware, the United States still has libel laws and, while site owners can find some loopholes, they are playing with fire.
William,
I hope that this is just a phase site and that it will soon be gone. I too agree they are playing with fire. Thank you for your comments.
I have never heard of Juicy Campus but am glad to know it's out there. The problem with sites like this is the potential of them trickling down to high school or even Jr. High levels. This hub is complementary to the one recently posted on female bullying. I'm sorry I don't remember who posted it.
Tanks for the heads up.
western,
Juicy Campus is the negative site...beware! I was worried about the trickle down effect also. I certainly hope that it doesn't hit the younger generation... thabks for commenting.
- Juicy Campus
Today Juicy Campus and Juicy Gossip is the hottest keyword searched on the internet. Google gives it volcanic rating. This is a website which allow anyone to post any gossip about any one on the campus. Also...
working
solarshingles says:
4 months ago
Very, very Powerful Hub! Only the joint world action for 'one PC for every citizen of this planet', fast Internet access and free web surfing (no China style censorship and brain washing) could unite our world to such extent, that we are finally going to realize that we are all humans with very same genetics, who should work and live for pleasure, not for a fight and misery.