Every once in a while, you’ll come across an account in your Instagram suggested accounts feed with a username containing a combination of words like: “confessions,” “anonymous,” or “tea.” It is important that you don’t interact with it.
Confession pages are often Instagram accounts that are linked to a Google Form where users can submit anonymous messages to be posted publicly. These accounts can be tied down and affiliated with specific groups or schools to attract the attention of those a part of them.
Recently, an anonymous confession page account connected to AHS, that has now been banned, has sparked large discussion around the appropriateness of these pages.
These confession pages have intentions that are like apples and oranges. Some contributors send messages that humorously confess their love for someone while others directly insult other students; more often than not, it’s the latter. Users tend to air out their dirty laundry or sensitive information about other students who they might not like. In turn, the pages are filled with endless complaints and gossip.
“I can see how students can see them as being funny, have fun or have a good time,” counselor Georgina Lovos said. “But sometimes, depending on what’s being posted, it can be hurtful to someone because it could be attacking a specific person and sometimes people don’t know what [others] are feeling.”
Hurtful, targeted confessions could be from anyone since anonymity doesn’t connect the confession to the contributor. The act of sending an anonymous confession in retrospect is pretty middle school.
“Confession pages are something that seems a little childish to me. It’s kind of immature and I think we should have left those in [the past],” sophomore Rita Choukairi said. “I don’t really see the humor in talking about people online in this sort of way, like just putting it on blast for people to see.”
Additionally, sophomore Nina Le would take immediate action if someone contributed an anonymous comment about a friend of hers: “We should mature and be grown up a bit since it’s just not the right thing to do,” Le said.
In general, students shouldn’t really entertain these pages as they can pose more harm than good.
“I would just recommend staying away from them. It can be funny reading things, what other people are saying, but then it can actually hurt someone’s feelings,” Lovos said. “You never know what other people are going through and sometimes, that one joke could really be something that could turn somebody’s day completely around.”
Before you submit that anonymous message about someone, ask yourself: would you really say this to their face? If not, it’s best to keep it to yourself.
