Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you won’t have been able to miss the trend of ‘Spotted’ pages overtaking Facebook – from Spotted in the Library to Spotted on Vic Street. Whether you think they’re just a bit of fun or completely pointless, due to the privilege of living with our newest anonymous ‘BNOC’, HCX have the inside scoop straight from the founder of Spotted: Exeter Uni Library.
How did the page begin?
I can’t take credit for this ingenious idea, I actually noticed my friends at Scottish Universities liking Spotted pages for their respective Unis and I realised that Exeter was missing out. I then actually created a page but got really scared and deleted it out of fear that no one would be as interested in it as much as me! I came to my senses after some reassurance from my housemates and remade the page awaiting the potential stream of messages that were to come…you know the rest!
How did you manage to cope with the influx of messages and your workload?
It was a struggle, and somehow I managed to attain a respectable grade in my first essay last year during an excessive messaging period for the page (God knows how). I usually procrastinate with other methods; this was just how I spent my breaks during essay writing this term. Realistically, who can say no to a bit of gossip and fun in the library? As addictive as the page was, I still managed to allocate enough time for my actual Uni work. Also, contrary to popular belief, I do not study Geography or ‘rational thinking’, I actually study Law!
How do you feel about the way it was shut down and the general outcry in the media regarding both the page and the SSB video?
Personally I can understand why the University contacted me to close down the page; I can’t say I agree with them, but with all that’s going on in the media surrounding Exeter I can comprehend why the University wanted to prevent further negative press. However, I don’t see why students should be inhibited from such a page due to one mistake made by other students which has been augmented in the news. I even changed the name and picture of the page to dissolve affiliation with the University, as have many other pages across the country, of which most are still up and running. With all due respect to the University, I tried my hardest to make sure that the page was just harmless fun, and at times it may have pushed the boundaries but I firmly believe that the page has nothing to do with the SSB video and therefore had no reason to be shut down.
Do you think the university handled the situation well?
As I have mentioned, I appreciate that the University wanted to avoid any more bad press escalating in the news, and that parents and students had supposedly complained about the page. However, I still firmly invest myself in freedom of speech and if I wasn’t monitoring and posting things on a Facebook page, then someone else will. There’s nothing to stop people from making more and more pages. So they may have succeeded in closing my page down but things like this will never cease from occurring and there will always be people offended…unfortunately that’s just the way the world works.
To what extent did you manage the things sent in – were some things not posted?
If I could show you some of the nasty and vulgar things people were messaging in then you would understand that the messages I actually posted were incredibly tame in comparison. I completely understand that what I, as well as other people, find funny and what another group of people might find funny aren’t entirely alike. There were always going to be posts which affronted some more than others. Even some of the comments were heavily edited to avoid repercussions, and if people still didn’t like the comment and they thought it was about them, as long as they messaged us back we would delete it. I’ve seen some of the comments which people have messaged the page telling me that I’m rude and disrespectful, when in actual fact I’ve tried my utmost hardest to be the exact opposite, and if you knew me you’d know that’s not me! We actually messaged people or checked in some way to affirm that what they were sending in was a joke or about a friend and that they wouldn’t be hurt by us posting it. I also am friends with some of the people messaging in and knew who they were posting about so I felt that it was acceptable to post it as I knew it was all in jest. Obviously the rest of the student body weren’t aware of this, nevertheless I thought I would be trusted enough not to post outwardly horrible comments.
What would you say to people who say that the page was hurtful and upsetting?
I would say that from their point of view I can see where they are coming from, however if they were me and the intermediary in this situation they would understand that it really wasn’t as hurtful and upsetting as they perceive it to be. I really didn’t mean to post anything offensive to anyone, and I am truly sorry to anyone who was outraged, upset or disappointed in the page and everything that was posted. I tried to be fair, just and reasonable, but as I progressively grasped; you can’t always please everyone. I still believe that it was a fabulous idea and I hope that I, as well as the majority of you, found it fun while it lasted.
Do you have any last words for HCX?
Only that it was enjoyable holding this position of responsibility in the social world of the students of Exeter and that I hope to do something similar in the future! And to all of you sceptics and haters out there, I didn’t close down the page because I couldn’t ‘handle the heat’ or because I was frightened of the consequences. When the University contacts you and tells you to do something you generally have to do it! I genuinely wish you all the best with your gossiping and hope you find another outlet to express your inner feelings in the library. As for now…
You know you love me, xoxo spotted