On Sept. 12, UW-Madison joined 500 campuses nationwide on JuicyCampus.com. The site allows people to anonymously post about a particular university, its students, Greek organizations, stereotypes and other university-related subjects.
Additionally, JuicyCampus requests that students spill the juice about all the crazy stuff going on at your campus."" Because posts are anonymous, hateful messages - often violent and racist in nature - and offensive slurs, such as ""slut,"" ""bitch"" and ""whore,"" litter the boards. Posts threatening rape and physical violence are extremely common as well, with no repercussions from police or university officials.
UW-Madison's current post topics range from ranking the ""hottest"" and ""ugliest coasties,"" ""Madison hoes"" and ""who is hung like a grape.""
A handful of posts prompted other universities and police to take action, though. According to The Wired Campus, a student at Colgate University was arrested in March for threatening to shoot fellow students. At least one other student has been arrested for making similar threats.
However, only these explicit posts have led to disciplinary action toward those responsible. Hundreds of posts each day name students and say cruel, potentially harmful things about them.
Sites like JuicyCampus have a tremendous effect on the student populace, and students must exercise extreme caution when using the site. Any post in which an individual is named is easily accesible through the site's search function. Since the site requires no authentication, any university's page can be accessed by the general public, including future employers and graduate school admission boards.
Furthermore, ABC's ""20/20"" recounted a student at Vanderbilt University who was raped near the campus her freshman year. Several months after the assault, the student discovered an account of the attack posted on JuicyCampus along with vicious criticism of her character. No follow-up action was taken.
Slanderous sites such as these serve no constructive purpose to the student body, leading to nothing but negative consequences for members of the campus community. Students only perpetuates such negativity by allowing themselves to be associated with the gossip forum.
Legally, the site cannot be held responsible for any posted content, so it is the job of the university - specifically UW-Madison students - to prevent vicious, online gossip from affecting the student body.
Although no student should ever have their right to free speech restricted in any way, those participating on UW-Madison's behalf should have enough respect for themselves, their fellow students, faculty and alumni to refrain from contributing to a site devoted almost entirely to racism, slander and blatant lies.
