On Sept 10, 2013, a Facebook page called WT Confessions was created, similar in style and content to the controversial WT Crushes Twitter account from last semester, which became a topic of heated discussion. Like WT Crushes, Confessions allowed students to send anonymous messages that an administrator would then post to the Facebook page wall, numbering each “confession” as they were posted.
“We started WT confessions just for fun,” the admin of WT Confessions said. “We’re all dying for a little piece of others’ juicy thoughts.” The Prairie promised the admin confidentiality.
The first confession was posted that same exact day. It was from a female freshman who needed advice on how to tell a guy she was in love with him. However, in the span of three weeks after arriving at WT, she said she had slept with five guys, and as well as a female and didn’t know how to break it to him since she wanted to start a serious relationship. The post only garnered a couple of likes and comments. A couple more confessions were added to the wall, but it wasn’t until almost a month later that the page started to receive much attention—as well as criticism.
It was on Oct. 2 that almost 30 posts hit the wall, all ranging from wondering if WT’s mascot was a buffalo or bison to someone claiming they had filled the Buffalo fountain with soap and had left excrements on the steps of Old Main. One post even received 337 likes. The variance in tone was stark, with one student saying they had kept a pet cat in Cross Hall for a year right next to a girl threatening to castrate anyone who messed with her. It was during this flurry of posts that a back and forth “confession war” began with students attacking and defending the Wesley Foundation, a student ministry here on campus.
“We decided that our moral standings were not in support of all the bashing of certain groups,” admin of WT Confessions said. “We are not uncaring, horrible people.”
Many of the posts called it a “brainwashing cult”, and mocked The Wesley in what they thought of the page. Many others defended the student ministry, leaving their thoughts publicly via the comments.
“People get real brave, and almost lose their humanity behind an anonymous wall,” Mikey Littau, The Wesley Foundation director, said. When asked about the multiple bashings against the Wesley, Littau said, “I don’t think it’s a whole lot of people, just a handful [who are making the posts].”
Student reactions to the page have varied. Some found the material hysterical while others were less entertained. Most, however, agreed that the page could have been managed better.
“I thought it was pretty immature, but funny,” Emily Rubio, freshman Music Education major, said. “[It would be good] if it was just clean, the nasty things were unnecessary.”
“People have the freedom to do and say what they feel,” Katy Spruiell, senior Mass Comm/AD/PR major and President of The Wesley Foundation, said.
On Oct. 3, perhaps the most controversial post was posted to the wall. In the confession, it was stated that this person had slept with a Canyon Police Officer and he had also bought [her] beer, later adding that she was underage. In the same post, it was admitted that their best friend had slept with her professor here, who happened to be married.
“When it comes to social media, once it’s posted, it can’t be taken back,” said Dr. Trudy Hanson, Department Head of Communcation.
Libel is the published defamation of character which many people have since reported the WT Confessions to Facebook.
Later, the Chief of the Canyon Police Department inquired which one of his officers had done the illegal deed. The entire post was shortly deleted after that. The Prairie’s calls to the Canyon Police Department were not returned.
On Oct. 4, WT Confessions posted that the site would be closing in two weeks due to the number of reports that had been filed against them. The comments following were generally against the page closing. Some asked if the page would reopen on Twitter, and telling the people that had been offended to un-follow WT Confessions if they didn’t like.
“The choice to shut down was solely the decision of my colleagues and I,” said the admin, “We decided that our moral standing were not in support of all the bashing of certain groups.”
The page managed to receive more than 2,300 likes, mainly from October 2nd through the 4th. Currently, the last post on the page is from the admin where they stated they would be shutting down the page in 14 days.
