boredatblog

New feature: cross-site posting

Hi Boredat. Hope your finals are going well. 

Just wanted to give you an update that we just rolled out a feature that allows you to post replies to topics at other closed networks (networks that are exclusive to on campus users). So if you are at Columbia and you reply to a topic you find on boredat.net from another closed network, your reply will be labeled like anonXXX@columbia. The focus is on facilitating communication and strengthening security and community integrity. 

Here’s a good example:

topic at rutgers - posted at rutgers by rutgers student, replies from princeton and columbia 

This only applies to closed networks: columbia, harvard, princeton, yale, cornell, brown, dartmouth, penn, stanford, rutgers, uchicago, ucla, byu, wesleyan, carnegie, cal, rice, pace, wellesley, amherst, usf, davis, duke, usc

Also you’ll notice that the “recently active schools” on boredat.net are now ordered based on # of posts in 24 hours which is pretty cool.

Cheers,

JP 

Post your thoughts, but keep it anonymous

Hey friends. Here are some things that we have learned:

1. It is clear that the Boredat project can be a very dangerous platform when applied to an extremely volatile community.
2. Moderation tools can improve the overall user experience of a Boredat. However, an explosive demand can make it difficult for the project to adapt quickly enough. More innovation is required. 
3. Vassar needs to continue this discussion.

Lastly, if you feel strongly enough about making change at Vassar and would like to take the lead, please email me jp@boredat.net. I am looking for someone who would like to anonymously blog about these issues right here on the boredatblog. I believe this can be a continued discussion and I would like to work with you to make that happen.

All the best, 
JP 

A fear of progress all around the table

Dear Vassar community,

Threats to sue from your administration has once again forced me to shut down boredatvassar. This is the first time I have ever been forced to shut down a site in the project’s two-year history. 

I sincerely apologize for my inability to provide you with a medium for free speech at this time. I encourage you to show your support and leave your comments as I attempt to work with the administration to find some common grounds.

All the best, 

JP

Anonymity Liberates

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your thoughtful comments and suggestions. It is clear that boredatvassar.net has affected the Vassar community in a very emotional way, both positively and negatively. However, there is also a positive that I simply cannot ignore. I cannot, in good faith, deprive you of a necessary outlet to be heard, especially when your community is trying to silence you. Therefore, in the interest of free speech and a true democracy of ideas, I’ve decided to bring back boredatvassar.net. I simply cannot turn a blind eye to a community that cannot speak their mind. This is exactly the purpose and solution of the Boredat project. 

However, I also cannot ignore the negative aspects of a maturing community. That is why I have implemented more tools for the community to democratically moderate itself. In addition to the “trash” tool, we will also enforce a stricter flagging policy. To be clear, the rules of Boredat are as follows:

1. No names - Slander will not be tolerated. If you see a slanderous post about a member of your community, “trash” it. I believe that people are naturally good and together we can make Boredat a safe place for everyone.
2. No racism/sexism - Do not post racist or sexists comments that would clearly be unacceptable in a public forum. Posts targeting groups or individuals based on race or gender with the intent of causing harm will not be tolerated. If you see this kind of activity, “trash” it!
3. No griefing -  Do not spam. Do not be obnoxious and disrupt your community’s collective train-of-thought. 

Lastly, I have also built tools for myself to block the bad eggs and I reserve the right to use them at my discretion.

In closing, I would like to highlight some comments that really resonated with me and the philosophy of the Boredat project: 

“It would be SO SIMPLE to use the Vassar network page on facebook to create discussion topics and post splendid intellectual insights, however the fact is that people like to put on a mask and say shit - whether it’s true or not.” - BJP

The Boredat concept is a natural reaction to the increased focus on one’s true identity. Your identity can handcuff you by forcing you to misrepresent what you truly believe or silence you completely.

“Boredat inadvertently filled a much-needed gap at Vassar. Instead of holding one-time moderated forums to discuss each issue, people could voice their thoughts anonymously. I really believe a moderated, Vassar-only forum is worth preserving.” - Toemahs

“I … hope that the administration will put more trust in us, and not treat us as children who aren’t allowed to see rated r movies.” - Me 

“This site was important because it provided a forum for sustained campus-wide discourse, which NEITHER the administration NOR the VSA has really attempted to organize. A lot of the posts are a reflection of this type of disillusionment… see: bookstore. see: lack of transparency. see: convoluted messages from administration. — I think it illustrates the need for a place where people can voice their opinions without fear of repercussions/estrangement, especially with regard to controversial things. And so long as we monitor these as a community and make sure that people aren’t saying slanderous things, then it should exist.” - MORE CAMPUS-WIDE DISCOURSE 

“Take away the slanderous comments made by the ignorant select few, and you have some REAL issues that Vassar students don’t get the chance to communicate about anywhere else. How many of you are unhappy at Vassar? A topic on the boredatvassar site showed that a number of us are, and Vassar has given us no way of articulating this.” - A TAD bit disgruntled 

“I think that the majority of people who use this website do not have malicious intentions, and I can still see the good in something like this. If we are able to monitor ourselves as a community, I don’t see why the blog can’t stay and create more campus-wide discourse.” - optimistic

About being forced to take down boredatvassar: “I personally feel that this violates freedom of expression and the right to anonymously project one’s opinion.” - thisain’tcool

It most certainly does.

All the best,

JP 

A few bad eggs

Dear Friends at Vassar,

The administration has insisted that we take down boredatvassar.net because of slander and gossip coming from a few bad eggs in your community. This is pretty frustrating considering that postings have been significantly less malicious within the past week. We’ve been working around the clock answering emails, moderating flagged posts, and built new tools to help the community moderate itself (which is ideal). Now, if enough people click “trash” on a post, its removed immediately. 

Please leave your comments and if we see enough encouragement then we will figure out what to do next.

Sincerely,

Your friends at Boredat