Anonymous school-related accounts make a name on social media
By Claire Pham and Sophia Qin Nov. 8, 2021
While scrolling through Instagram, students have found anonymous accounts that highlight students’ daily school attributes and activities. These student-run accounts have gained hundreds of followers, receiving numerous comments and likes.
One example of these anonymous Instagram accounts is the school’s bad parking account, @lelandbadparking. With over five hundred followers, the account features students’ bad parking in a humorous manner. Moreover, the account requests student drivers to directly message photos of parking images, which is then uploaded with a blurred license plate and caption. Inspired by Saint Francis’s bad parking account, the user decided to create a similar account for the school. The owner of this account explains that there is no intention to embarrass students; the purpose of the posts is to brighten people’s days.
“Not only are these accounts fun, but they are also unique. I follow these accounts because I do not see the harm in them, and I also enjoy seeing funny parking photos when I am bored or stressed,” Sophomore Christie Nguyen said.
Similarly, Junior Katelyn Bump agrees with Nguyen, highlighting how users’ anonymity does not make a difference as long as the people running the accounts protect students’ privacy and personal information. Bump enjoys looking at Leland Bad Parking’s content for light-hearted humor and entertainment.
However, despite the intentions, anonymous social media accounts have the potential to cause cyberbullying. According to Dr. Monica Barreto, licensed clinical child psychologist at the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, bullying becomes more frequent when perpetrators can remain anonymous. Anonymity allows hidden users to constantly bully, not only harming victims’ emotional well-being, but also their psychological health. In addition, bullying can be exacerbated by viewers: through the comments section, social media users can corroborate posts’ contents, further tormenting victims.
Furthermore, the internet hacker organization, Anonymous, uses its unknown identity as a weapon to participate in socio-political movements and commit cyber attacks against government affiliations and political groups. Users of Anonymous utilize masks, editing softwares and voice-changing devices to conceal their personal identities. Consequently, the government is unable to easily find or punish users who misuse their ability to remain anonymous: without accurate knowledge of the people running an account, it is difficult to hold them responsible for their actions.
On the other hand, anonymity can allow account owners to freely express their opinions and provide honest reviews. For instance, @sjusdfood, another student-run Instagram account, posts ratings and opinions of the lunches distributed at San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD). The posts cover everything from pizza to tacos, each post cultivating 40 to 70 likes and 10 to 20 comments. As students describe their personal thoughts on the food served, other users add their own ideas, fostering a community of students who relate to one another.
“We decided to start this account to review the food served at SJUSD, especially since the menus have changed now that lunches are free. The purpose of this account is not to insult the district or the food they serve us but to share our opinions and guide others,” account owners of @sjusdfood said.
As these anonymous social media accounts continue to grow and post new content, some students worry about the repercussions. In contrast, other people enjoy following anonymous social media accounts, entertained by the owners’ honest opinions and reviews of school-affiliated activities. In the future, the owners of these accounts plan to post more content that students will find relatable.
About the Contributors
Claire Pham
Staff Writer
Claire Pham is a Leland sophomore. She is currently a part of the media team in Advanced Journalism. She enjoys watching new shows, hanging out with friends, and listening to different types of music.
Sophia Qin
Staff Writer
Sophia Qin is a freshman at Leland High School and a staff writer for The Charger Account. During her free time, she loves dancing, baking, reading, hanging out with friends and family, and drawing.
Quincy Han
Artist
Quincy is a junior at Leland High School and an artist for The Charger Account. He is just a little guy that likes to play video games and listen to Will Wood.
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