HBCU bans Website from Campus Computers

November 20, 2008

JuicyCampus.com, an anonymous message board for college students, was recently banned on the campus of Tennessee State University. In a letter written in TSU’s campus newspaper, VP of Student Affairs Michael Freeman officially announced the sites banning from all campus computers. While its unknown if the sites banning was prompted by a specific incident, JuicyCampus is known for post like Biggest Slut and Slut Leaderboard, which often uses university student’s full names. TSU’s banning of JuicyCampus.com has sparked response from the websites CEO Matt Ivester claiming that TSU has joined the ranks of the Chinese government in internet censorship.

Though TSU is the first campus to ban JuicyCampus.com, there has been no shortage of complaints made against the website. In March of 2008, Tech Crunch reported that the site was “dealing with a constant barrage of legal threats from quite-rightly angry students and parents, including threats of defamation law suits. ”

It’s seems to me that TSU is working to protect the best interest of their students, but I’m not convineced that banning a site campus wide is the answer. Mean things are said daily on Facebook, Myspace, even Youtube, are they next? What do you think?

Category: Diversity, News, web 2.0 | Tags: college, HBCU, juciycampus.com, juicy campus, tennessee state university, TSU

Tiffani

I'm torn, but somehow I think it's a good idea they banned it. Sure, nasty stuff is said on Facebook all the time, but at least in the end, you know who said it. Plus, the fact that these folks allow for anonymous posts has turned up some prettttttty *foul* posts. Since these other sites have varying degrees of anonymity, my thinking is that people would be less likely to post some of the more inflammatory posts I've seen on JuicyCampus.

Also, if people really want to see what's going on on the site, there's ways to get around a campus block.

Markus

That's true, there are ways around campus blocks, but i don't believe most layman know how, or would be willing to put the effort towards finding out how, especially for a site like this.

I also believe that if you wanted to anonymously denigrate a person on myspace and facebook, you can. I can guarantee a large portion of the myspace population aren't who they really say they are. Case in point the tragedy of the "Myspace Hoax" incident which ended in the tragic suicide of a young lady.

But what I am most concern about is the fact that we are too busy fighting the symptoms instead of attacking the root cause. Blocking Juicy gets rid of one symptom, but students will simply find another way spread gossip. If there's a problem with cyber-bullying, then have an open dialog with students. At the end of the day the students will make the ultimate decision, the university just needs to give them the tools to help make the most sensible decision.