Please read the following NYTimes Business Day article "They Loved Your GPA, Then They Saw Your Tweets". Engage the article in a discussion about its argument and the role of social media in your life. Is it fair for colleges to consider one's Facebook page or Twitter account as complements to a college application? Is this an invasion of privacy or should we be more careful what we post on the internet? If this is certainly a growing trend, could colleges gain access to our multiple screen names and avatars? Would you like an admissions counselor trolling through your Reddit up posts?
Consider this surveillance in conjunction with our text 1984. Does this kind of monitoring connect with the authoritarian government of Oceania? Provide a quoet to show a connection.
Engage the article by referring to specific quotes, read each other's posts, and refer to one another in your responses. Feel free to bring in outside resources (links provide of course) and let's discuss!
This is an interesting way for the colleges to get to know about the applicants and who the students are, personalities, what they do, etc, but it's really not good for the students being reviewed over the internet via Facebook and Twitter. Since most students post up stuff about their personal life or say things that aren't meant to be seen by colleges, it can really affect the way the colleges think about them. Facebook isn't a part of an application, and by taking it into account, with all of the other social media posted by that person, it can really invade someone's privacy and/or personal info. You don't expect your school to be looking over your shoulder when you post tweets and talk to your friends. You talk to your friends differently than you would a stranger or a guest. Also, even though stuff on the internet never really goes away, and people should be cautious about what they post, by consciously searching for your posts, it invades your personal privacy. With the funds that colleges have, and the resources they can get, it wouldn't surprise me if in the next year or 2, NYU and Yale were trying to find my Gmail, Tweets and other accounts. This is pretty scary because its meant to be private, not open for admissions officials' prying eyes.
ReplyDeleteThis monitoring is similar to what the Oceanian citizens in 1984 have to deal with, but its different too. If you don't get into Harvard, it's not the end of the world, where as in Oceania, "People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word." (Orwell 19) you get removed from memory, and are never heard from again since the government removes all traces of your existence. Also, the college application officials don't have the amount of invasive authority the thought police have. so its on a different scale than 1984.
Colleges should not be able to invade in people's privacy. If they could watch our social networking site posts, we would have to limit ourselves to what they would want to see, not what we could express. This limits human behavior in a way that we cannot express ourselves which we normally would to our friends. This also brings up another point, as Kenneth said, we have multiple identities. Based on these identities, we express ourselves differently. I know I wouldn't talk to my parents or teachers the way I talk with my friends (I would probably get into serious trouble if I did).
ReplyDeleteAnother flaw to using social networking sites to "spy" on the students is that it may be completely and utterly different. One example I found interesting was Mr. Ferencz's (failed) cooking blog. If I thought I knew him before, I was surprised once I found this article, which shows that our online identities work completely different to our social identities (identity as a friend). This article also brings to mind the famous quote, "Don't judge a book by its cover." This quote means that whatever you see on the outside of the person (physically or online) s/he may be completely different on the inside (mentally or socially). By searching for the students on social networking sites, they are judging the students' personalities based on the information they can get.
This is similar to Oceania in the sense that both inhibit the people to express themselves (as) freely. Students would be worried that colleges would not accept them due to what they posted on the social networking sites, so they have multiple options in which they deactivate their account, delete all negative posts, change their name on the site, etc. In Oceania, the use of telescreens and other various methods of spying indicates that the people are afraid of expressing themselves freely or being possibly arrested for crimes against the Party. In Oceania, the telescreens made its presence known to the people and according to Winston, "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork" (Orwell 3). This shows that the people of Oceania had to be careful in case of any eavesdroppers from the Party. They were not allowed to express themselves freely in case the telescreen caught any of their words or sounds, they would be executed or vaporized.
You bring up a good point about the "don't judge a book by it's cover" quote. People act really differently online than they would face-to-face. Online, nobody sees you, so its like a mask: you can act differently and do things that you wouldn't in real life. By not seeing others, communication via social media is dehumanized to the point where people act without thinking about others as real people. People that act outgoing online could be really introverted and shy while at the same time, people that are really happy could act depressed. The colleges that see this stuff could be getting really bad impressions of the people they look at.
DeleteAlso, the way you pointed out that the telescreens were similar to the admissions officials' probing was really interesting because its the exact same concept of using technology and modernization to gather intelligence on the people of interest (e.g. college applicants in real life or dissenters to the Party in Oceania)
It could be a way for colleges to see what the applicants are thinking and saying online, but when we are online we say things we would never say in real life. It isn't fair to look at the applicants Facebook or twitter because people are suppose to be judged base on what they accomplish in real life than on a computer screen. When you are in real life society looks at you, and for self dignity you won't do something stupid, but if you are at home it will just be yourself and your computer where you can type something and people wont take it seriously because they won't be able to see your emotions and sarcasm cannot be read. People should be careful what they post, because it is the internet and you post it for a reason, for somebody to read it. Right now anybody could access your Facebook or twitter just by searching your name. I wouldn't care if they search up my name, but if they have access to my multiple screen names i would be scared. This monitoring is very similar to the citizens of Oceania. They are being limited on what they can do online or else they wont get into their college they want. It is also being used in Oceania, "People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word." (Orwell 19) it is similar in a way but not as harsh
ReplyDeleteIt is reasonable for colleges to look through people's social media accounts. Colleges want to know if their applicants truly are as good as what they present to the admissions offices and a person's digital footprint is a reflection of who they are. The colleges want to make sure that they will not be admitting someone who may harm the school and its reputation into their college. However, the college admissions officials should not be able to search your social media accounts in depth, as a quick skim-through will be enough to show your character. They should also take into mind that not everything that they see may be true because other people may hack into someone's account. This way of searching through a student's profile is similar to what the government of Oceania does because they both use technology to monitor people. Both the Party and colleges form their opinions of a person based on what they see through their communication devices, either a telescreen or a computer.
DeleteOne quote from 1984 that shows this is when Winston first enters his home, "He had set his features into the expression of quiet optimism which was advisable to wear when facing the telescreen" (Orwell 5). This shouws how students must monitor their appearance on social media and be careful about what they post online
I do not think that is fair for colleges to be looking at a student's social network account. Social network is a type of hobby many students use when they want to relax or have fun. If one is constantly worried about being tracked down by a college and how it would effect his/her college application, social networking would no longer be "fun" and most likely not paint a clear picture of who the student really is. In addition, a post that a student may write on Facebook does not necessarily suggest what kind of student s/he is or how s/he behaves because s/he may have been affected by peer pressure, someone hacked on to his.her account etc. In fact, in the article it sates, " juniors are taught to delete alcohol-related posts or photographs and to create socially acceptable email addresses", essentially students are creating a false, ideal persona for themselves online. Furthermore,teachers do not need to know every painful detail of a student's social life. I understand that colleges want to get a sense of what their perspective applicants are like, but finding them on a social network seems a little too personal. If another student were to do this to a student (find them on Facebook an look through their posts), it would probably be considered "stalking" and would be frowned upon by other students, so why should colleges be allowed to do this? A certainly would not want a "stalker" especially if s/he were an adult I had never met before who has the power to determine my future.
ReplyDeleteIn 1984, citizens are constantly under survailence (and have no way of turning it off) from the telescreens to the posters of "Big Brother is Watching" and the thoughtpolice. The telescreen "could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely" (Orwell 2). Similarly, you could change your name on Facebook, but a college could still track you down by knowing other pieces of information about you (gender, age, school, maybe friends names), so in a way we cannot shut it off. Furthermore the telescreen could pick up any sound "above the level of a whisper...could be seen as well as heard" (Orwell 3). I suggestion (ie a curse work of one slightly inappropriate picture) that a perspective student is not the "right fit" for a college could be held against him/her in the application process. We are being monitored just like the people of Oceania are, but in a slight moderation.
In today’s growing world, privacy is something we very much look to. However, it seems now it’s more of a dream than a reality. In NYTimes Business Day article "They Loved Your GPA, Then They Saw Your Tweets," Natasha Singer reveals the frightening connection between social media and colleges, because truth is, it’s not a myth: colleges look at YOUR profile. At the center of all this, is a high school senior who attended a campus information session last year for prospective students, only to destroy that very opportunity when she posted inappropriate, offensive comments on Twitter “about her fellow attendees, repeatedly using a common expletive.” According to Scott A. Meiklejohn, Bowdoin’s dean of admissions, “The college ultimately denied the student admission, he said, because her academic record wasn’t competitive. But had her credentials been better, those indiscreet posts could have scuttled her chances.”
ReplyDeleteNow, while I respect privacy and believe that we very much need it, I believe it’s fair for colleges to consider one’s social networking site, to see their applicants beneath the surface. Yes, I won’t deny the fact that grades are important, but at the same time it’s vital that students display common sense and right judgment. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can truly can tell a lot about a person, for they involve decision making, whether it’s in regards to commenting or posting pictures. How you choose to do either and to what degree lies in your hands. How can students succeed simply through excelling in a field? What colleges need are people with balance – people who are not only intellectual in academics but are street-smart.
So now do we live in a modern 1984? Maybe colleges truly represent Big Brother and the comrades – desperate students? And maybe, just maybe…we live in a society where manipulations of freedom and privacy thrive.
Connecting this to 1984, Oceania lacks privacy, as can be seen with the telescreens and thought police. “Never show resentment! A single flicker of the eyes could give you away (Orwell 37).” An invasion of privacy can also be seen with this piece of text: “A day never passed when spies and saboteurs acting under his [Big Brother] directions were not unmasked by the Thought Police (Orwell 13).”
Honestly, I don't think that it's fair for colleges to be looking at students' Facebook and Twitter accounts. Generally, these social media accounts are used for students to entertain themselves, communicate with friends, and express their ideas WITHOUT superiors judging them. If colleges are allowed to look through status updates or photos on students' social media accounts, then they're destroying the purpose the students made the accounts for.
ReplyDeleteStudents usually have two different lifestyles everyday- academic and social. During a student's academic time of day, they should listen to their teachers and try their best to learn. Teachers and other authorities should punish students if they do something that is disruptive to the academic atmosphere of school. However, during a student's social time of day, they should be allowed to express their own thoughts to friends or update their friends on what they did. Since citizens are given the right to Freedom of Speech, status updates that may or may not offend others shouldn't be looked at by colleges. Colleges looking at the updates and judging a student by these could be considered an invasion of privacy and a sense of unfairness towards the student.
In our text of 1984, it says that, “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within the range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself - anything that carried with it a suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face was itself a punishable offense.”(Orwell 62) This is comparable to what colleges are doing now by searching through students’ social media accounts and finding disturbing things. However, the difference is that Oceania is organized so that people have no individuality and are not allowed to speak up, or they would die. Due to this type of organization, they are not allowed to do anything if they’re being monitored for their every move. However, in the United States, people can speak up against the government if they think it’s necessary. So unless we want to become just like the authoritative government of Oceania, then authorities shouldn’t be allowed to monitor what students do on the Internet.
I do not think that it is fair that colleges search and look through our social media accounts. If a student is doing extremely well in school, but has something bad on their Facebook account, the student should not be penalized. When this student goes to college, he/she is going to learn and to gain further knowledge on a topic he/she wants to pursue. The student's personal life has nothing to do with the matter. Also, I think the article makes a fair point when saying that if the colleges mistake a person, then the person may be penalized unfairly. Basically, a college can look at a person's account, but it should not play a factor into the person's acceptance into the college.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that it is an invasion of privacy. If someone puts something online, the person should know that it gives permission for the world to see it. If this person did not want people to see that he/she did something like smoking, then this person should not have posted it for the world to see. However, we should be careful of what we post because although a college may not intentionally use the account to help them decide, something bad on the account might subconsciously lead to the decline of the applicant.
The article states, "colleges keep track of their social media mentions," which is similar to Orwell's 1984 in the fact that both systems have a way of keeping track of people. In 1984, people are monitored by telescreens, while colleges nowadays monitor or Facebook accounts. On our accounts, you can basically find a person's history.
Nice point about how the person knows consciously all of their posts are for the world to see, but it might not be directed to the college audience.
DeleteColleges looking into students' social media accounts is an invasion of privacy and should not be allowed. Students often have a dual personalities, one for their academic life, and the other for their personal life. For college admission offices to invade into a student's personal life is unjust. The New York Times Article, "They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets." refers to incidents in which college admission officers did not admit someone in their college due to offensive material. An example of this is when an applicant "posted offensive comments about one of his high school teachers." Many students often turn to social media as an emotional outlet, so for a college admission officer to determine whether one does or doesn't enter their college based on their opinions or feelings is extremely biased. Colleges often look into students' profiles in order to obtain information about their behavior. If they wanted to keep record of one's behavior, they could easily access their transcript for any incidents. If nothing is found there, there is a high chance that the person won't be a nuisance in the learning environment. A student's behavior online shouldn't be involved in the college process because that is their personal life, which is not in any way involved with their academic life. I agree with Yiu-Wah Au-Yeung's stance on this topic because they state that during school time, students should listen to their teachers and attempt to learn. At the same time, students are granted their own personal time to express their own thoughts to their friends out of school through the form of social networking. The process of searching through their social networking profiles destroys their freedom of personal time, which is why the act is wrong.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, 1984's constant surveillance relates to the college admission offices searching through social networking in order to obtain information about behavior. Oceanic citizens all have a telescreen, which “received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, would be picked up by it… There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment” (Orwell 3). Although it isn't to this extent, the colleges are now entering our personal lives as the party in Oceania has done, and are spying on every occurrence. If something as immoral as telescreens aren't allowed in our society, why do we allow colleges reading our social media?
I strongly disagree with the practice of colleges researching applicants online to acquire information that may be considered "tie breaking." What I mean by "tie breaking" information is that colleges may need more premises to judge students on, when they are left with one seat and two perfect applicants.
ReplyDeletePicture this scenario: two students are applying to the University of Michigan, but there is only one vacant seat open. Both have exceptional grades on their transcripts, show strong leadership abilities through means of clubs and extracurricular activities, and their interviews proved them to be civil and charismatic. The board of admissions may not have any other way to select between the two students fairly, so they inspect their online lives to make the ultimate decision. This is completely unjust. One student may be a bit of a comedian online while the other student may blog about politics. It is quite clear which applicant the board of admissions will select.
(That is only a theory of mine).
I don't think colleges should be allowed to judge students based on their social media profiles. Social media is a tool for people to express themselves in a boundless manner, unlike in reality, where there are many restrictions of what to say and when and where to say it. Social media is also used as an outlet for people to channel their thoughts, ideas, and interests when they couldn't in real life. In a way, the profiles are used for people to get to know one another. If colleges judge a person based on their Facebook or Twitter account, that is basically a judgement of who they are as a friend/person rather than the judgement of who they are as a student.
If a college were to set requirements of their ideal online personality just as it has a set of requirements for grades, this would indirectly try to control who they are and restrict them from being themselves.
Oceania is similar to this practice in the sense that the telescreens watch the every movement of residents and thus dictate every move they make. They are unable to think what they please, speak their mind, or do what they want if it is not parallel to the ideals of the Party. They cannot express themselves without being kidnapped and killed.
All in all, I think colleges should stick to picking applicants based on who they are as a student, not who they are socially, whether it is online or offline.
I agree with Rysa. A student must earn there way to college through their resume, which includes grades and extracurricular activities. It is not their business to be searching up the applicant on Google, Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media. I feel that the colleges are doing this to give an excuse to the public for not accepting certain students, primarily due the fact that limited spots are available. Thus, the issue is very similar to the whole "racial" issue with specialized high school and college admissions, where the applicants would be chosen based on certain ranges (percentages) that their race is admitted into the school. Both issues are extremely unfair. Students should be admitted into schools based on their academic success and knowledge. After all, that is what a school is for; learning and acquiring education. It is unfair for a school to judge a student based on anything otherwise. Especially when it is something extremely irrevalent to education. What does a college expect in a student? To have a 99.99% average and be a "goody-goody/kissup" on their social media? This is what leads to the idea that this process is slightly similar to the 1984 government. In a very minor way, colleges are actually controlling what we do! Social medias area a place where students and friends can get together and have a laid-back, casual, and relaxed conversation/chat. It is a place where people can express their ideas and their opinions of the world. If colleges were to take that away from us, what would be left for us to do on social media? If we are just doing things to please them, we will never be our own person. It is as if were are slowly loosing "humanity." The entire situation is bogus.
DeleteIn my opinion, I disagree with colleges refusing a person based on their media life. Colleges can look at someone's blog or Facebook to gain an understanding of the person's social life. They might do this to create a more charismatic atmosphere for the school. However, this should only be considered as an asset and not the main
ReplyDeletereason behind someone's acceptance or refusal. Someone posts statuses for their friends to see and therefore they should be seen as a social and friendly person. The content should not be investigated, because it is personal and not meant for colleges to look at. I personally think it is extremely unfair when identities are confused. This relates to Oceania in that all material is scrutinized. From one's movements to one's writing, the Party watches and is vigilant. As a result, thee population cannot express themselves. Students will try to be someone they are not , which is something all colleges "claim" to dis advise. According to our laws, citizens are allowed to talk as they please. However, colleges are becoming like the Party and trying to keep a leash on one's words.
I agree with the fact that searching through someones blog or Facebook would help a college gain an understanding of the person's social life! It is completely true. By doing this, not only would a college be able to connect more to a student during an interview, but also get a better feel of the student's personality and characteristics! :)
DeleteAlthough individuals have different identities, they are still the same person (if that makes sense) and what they say on social media websites can easily translate into their personality as a student, in my opinion. If a person is rude or disrespectful the way the students in the article were to their former teachers of fellow applicants, it can be logically concluded that they may be rude or disrespectful in college, which is not a thing colleges want for their students. Doesn't other students' happiness and well-being warrant colleges the right to turn away potentially mean students in the application process?
DeleteColleges are justified to monitor social media sites as a source of background information for applicants. Students have a choice as to what they post online and can always choose to remove posts or even opt out of posting something at all. What they post is also completely up to them, and therefore they approve the public viewing of their posts (most social media websites are public). If students post something inappropriate, the students are the ones responsible because they allow the information, picture, etc. to be viewed by everyone, including colleges. Unless people have alter egos online, they are also displaying who they are through social media. The students are essentially providing the public – including colleges – with additional information about who they are, what they believe in, what they value, and their personality. If they display themselves in a way that is perceived by a college as imprudent, the students are the ones to blame because the college has made its decision based off of self-provided, voluntary information about the student.
ReplyDeleteIt is not an invasion of privacy for colleges to take social media into account when accepting incoming freshman. Unlike 1984, colleges are observing things only posted voluntarily by applicants, and cannot see anything the student does not wish for people to know about. Winston is in a different situation when he discovers that the Thought Police keep a telescreens behind a picture in he and Julia’s room. “The picture had fallen to the floor, uncovering the telescreens behind it. “Now they can see us,” said Julia (Orwell, 222). Winston and Julia had wanted to keep there whereabouts in the room a secret, and if given the opportunity, would have refrained from giving information about their location and actions. However, the Thought Police did not give them a choice as to whether or not they heard or saw Julia and Winston. Since colleges only see what students choose to post on social media websites, it is acceptable for them to weigh social media use in the application process.
I think that colleges use of social media is justified due to the fact that it is the colleges that are inviting you to their campus and to their programs. To do so they must know what kind of person you, the applicant are. The fact that they are using social media to grade a person is just a way of being fairer to all applicants, because it lets them see what kind of a person the applicant really is.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe it it alright for schools to search a student's social media profiles in order to determine whether they should be allowed into the school. Students use social medias such as facebook, twitter, and tumblr as a way to communicate to friends and relatives and express their ideas. Some of these ideas may be offensive only in the way it is presented. The people judging or reading these statements won't know whether they are serious or just sarcastic remarks. Many students view these statements as "jokes" unlike adults who views most of the things as serious comments. When colleges search through your profile, they judge you based entirely on what you post online. This is an act of invasion of privacy and judging someone based on a comment or post does not entirely show who the person really is. These sites give students a freedom to express what they have on their mind without purely being judged. If students know that they are being monitored about everything they release onto the web, the students would feel insecure and may not use the social medias at all. The posts students make are not necessarily directed to one group of people. Most of the time, students direct these comments to fellow peers and relatives, but not school staff members. These group of people
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, 1984, Oceania is similar to the way students are being monitored by the colleges from the instruments each student have. In Oceania. "The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard". (Orwell 3) This shows that anything they he did could be recorded and reviewed by the thought police. This is similar to how anything the students post or comment on the web could be seen by colleges to see whether the student is eligible to be accepted into the school.
It's not fair at all if colleges care about facebook posts, tweets, etc. Exactly who gave them the right to invade our privacy like that? Quite frankly it's none of their business on what we post, their business is how well we do academically. How we present ourselves in forms of social media can be completely different from how we present ourselves in reality, since our online persona is how we "escape" the world as cliche and stupid as it sounds. We use those sites to just let go and say whatever is on our minds, it's unfair how even that privilege can be taken away. It should be enough that people waste away their lives (including me) to try and please these people, yet, they purposely look for more reasons to make that effort a waste. Yes, they might want to know you as a person, but that's what interviews are for. They have thousands of students in their schools anyway, it's not like they even care about remembering each and every single face. It's just wrong for them to judge us for our personalities (which we can't really help) to deem us worthy, only to leave us to do everything else on our own once we get in. And so what if we act stupid online? I personally have said some (...a lot) pretty dumb things but if i were a legitimate moron i wouldnt be in stuy.
ReplyDeletebringing it back to oceania, the quote "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment” (Orwell 3). this is basically the exact same situation, where the superiors decide to just pop in without any permission and possibly stumble across things that we dont want them to know.
I disagree with the way colleges judge a student by their social media accounts. It's an invasion of privacy from the way they look into their personal lives and read the posts that are meant to be read by their friends and people who actually understand them. The way people act online may not reflect how they act in person. When they are online where they could be comfortable talking to their friends, they would behave in a manner that friends often do like joke around and tease each other. However, this doesn't mean that this is how they would act in person because there are things that people say and do online that they might actually do. It also wouldn't be fair to not accept someone based on the colleges’ own perception of that person because as I stated before, the person might be completely different than what they see of them online and also because he could’ve worked really hard on his studies. It is unfair to just dismiss someone’s academic abilities just because they are not content with their behavior.
ReplyDeleteThis could compare to the way the Party keeps a surveillance of everyone through the telescreens. They watch everything they do and they would interpret their thoughts from their actions. Even if they did not necessarily do anything wrong, it didn’t matter because of the Party thought you committed Thoughtcrime, they would still arrest you. When Winston was writing in his diary, it is understood that “Whether he went on with the diary, or whether he did not go on with it, made no difference. The Thought Police would get him just the same.” Even if he did not write in the diary, if they detect that he did something wrong, then that was it. He wouldn't be able to justify himself.
Colleges have a right to view your private life. They want/need to know what type of person is enrolling in their school. They may be sent the resume of a high schooler that shows that they only got a grade of 95 or higher in all of their classes throughout high school. The will think, “Wow, this kid is smart and just the right type of student for our school.” However, when the check your Facebook or Twitter and find a photo of you holding a beer bottle or a tweet saying, “@thomas99 it was nice getting wasted with you #bestnightofmylife.” The college will then most likely not accept you because although you achieve high scores academic wise, your social life is irresponsible. If the college didn’t look at this, they could possibly accept someone who does not fit their standards as a model student. Facebook and Twitter are public meaning anyone can view your posts are tweets. There is no way for you to hide them. Colleges are not invading your privacy when they look at your Facebook page because you are responsible for what you post. If you post something irresponsible, chances are colleges will see it. In the article, Singer writes, “30 percent [of 381 interviewees] of the admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects,” (1st page, 6th paragraph, last sentence).
ReplyDeleteThis type of monitoring admissions officers do is similar to what goes on in the daily lives of comrades in Oceania. Every comrade has a telescreen watching them in their house. There are also telescreens and other cameras watching them wherever they go. Every day Winston has to stretch at a specific time. One day while working out, the voice from his telescreen screamed, “6079 Smith W! Yes you! Bend lower, please! You can do better than that. You’re not trying. Lower, please!” (George Orwell, 36). Winston is being watched by someone in the party and is being corrected. The fact that someone is watching you at all times is a little creepy. College admission officers aren’t attaching a tracking device to your shoes to see where you go, but little by little, they are getting a glimpse at you’re not so secret private life.
It is fair for colleges to consider one's social media account as complements to a college application. Like Ms. Heck from the article says “If you’ve got stuff online you don’t want colleges to see, deleting it is kind of like joining two more clubs senior year to list on your application to try to make you seem more like the person they want at their schools.” Deleting posts or comments on something you use on a daily basis to express your ideas as a way to increase your chances of admission into a college is similar to pretending to be another person. You shouldn't post things that you need to hide in the first place, since the whole point of posting is to share your thoughts with others. Colleges wouldn't want to admit someone who changes their personality according to different situations. They would rather have someone who acts the same in person and online, or anywhere. The fault lies within the student himself/herself for sharing things that may attribute to a negative impression. Looking at a person's Facebook statuses or tweets may be considered an invasion of privacy; however, one already knows that their comments or pictures online can be made public. One should be responsible for his/her own actions, and be prepared to face the consequences. While having admission counselors look through your posts may be uncomfortable, it is unlikely that this will decide whether you are accepted or not, considering that essays, recommendations, grades, and portfolios play a much larger role on your acceptance or rejection. This monitoring does connect with the authoritarian government of 1984 in that people's actions are being closely watched in their homes, at work, and basically anywhere the Party wishes. In Oceania, the citizens live "in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard...every movement scrutinized" (Orwell 3). The monitoring shouldn't bother you if you can proudly perform any action in public without having to conceal it.
ReplyDeleteSam Lee
ReplyDeleteExtra credit
Is it fair for colleges to consider one's Facebook page or Twitter account as complements to a college application? Is this an invasion of privacy or should we be more careful what we post on the internet? If this is certainly a growing trend, could colleges gain access to our multiple screen names and avatars? Would you like an admissions counselor trolling through your Reddit up posts?
I think it is fair for colleges to consider as a factor in their applications decision whatever possible applicants post online. Though some may complain about that being an invasion of their privacy, when the “post” or “tweet” button is clicked, one is putting that information out in a forum which is purposely designed to be public. People should have the right to privately share and do things on the internet, but anything posted publicly should be treated as fair game, therefore looking through public posts is not an invasion of privacy.
I am already wary of the consequences that may result from poor judgement when using social media. For this reason I never post anything that does not reflect my best self. Because I try to present mostly accomplishments on facebook, I would not mind having a college admissions officer looking through it. I hope I am never as mean or foolish as the Bowdoin applicant who tweeted criticisms of the college presentation (as depicted in The New York Times article, “They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets”).
This surveillance is related to the constant watchfulness of the party in George Orwell’s, 1984. As Winston states, “Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you.” (19, Orwell)
This quote shows the unrelenting surveillance over the thoughts of the citizens of Oceania. Once you commit thoughtcrime, it will come back to you, just as one’s tweets might resurface when applying to college.
In response to Caroline Koo’s post, Nov 26, where she persuasively argues that Colleges should not be using our Facebook pages:
Facebook posts are meant to be looked at. Some might have been meant only for friend’s eyes, but these post can be read by other people as well. Facebook is in no way private. The public post button used thousands of times every day is an indicator of that. College admissions officials pursue information about students they want at their school, and I believe that the students facebook page reflects a side that the officers perhaps did not see during the interview. You inferred that the information in the interview is the only student that the colleges should consider. But is anyone truly themselves in a college interview? In your argument you split the high school student into two: the student who speaks their mind, and the student the colleges want to accept. Colleges may accept the student because of their report card, or deny them because of a bad tweet. It’s fair for colleges to do this because when we interact on facebook we are presenting ourselves in a public place which we know can be reviewed by others.
I believe it is fair for colleges to consider someone’s social media activity when deciding whether or not to accept the student. By allowing access to social media accounts they colleges are able to understand the student outside from applications and formal interviews. Many students may have a second side to them which is completely different from the information given on the transcript. The students may be a genius and have the top grades, but may say the most degrading words and bully people while online. By allowing colleges to look through social media accounts, they are able to understand the people one hangs out with and what one’s true demeanor is. I do not believe this is an invasion of privacy. As many people know from the various commercials and say of our teachers, the minute we post something online it will always be there even if you try to delete it. Every time someone clicks the post or comment button they should be aware of the repercussions that come with that single click. I think that everyone should be cautious about what we post on the internet. Anything we say, post or comment will eventually come back and resurface and can never be really “gone” if we try to delete it. People may feel as if their privacy is compromised, but the most important thing to remember is that if one does nothing wrong online, nothing will come back and haunt them. Allowing colleges’ access to social media accounts connects with the authoritarian government of Oceania. In Oceania, people are able to decide how they want to be viewed by the thought police. As 1984 says regarding Winston, “He had set his features into the expression of quiet optimism which it was advisable to wear when facing the telescreen.” (Orwell 5) He had the choice to choose what expression to possess just like one in the modern day can choose whether or not to post inappropriate material online. Or one can choose to be like Syme who comments as he pleases and is eventually vaporized. Colleges have the right to look at our accounts, now it’s just up to us on how we want to be viewed.
ReplyDeleteJessica- I agree with you, that the one is responsible for what they post and should know and understand the consequences that come with that.
Maddie- It’s a great point that one has their own choice whether to post or not, while the citizens of Oceania are in a situation completely different from that.
I somewhat agree with collages looking through your accounts. If you have a Facebook account you know that you are posting things online for the world to see. I realized and accepted the fact that I couldn't post things that I didn't want people outside of my inner circles to see. Also, as it mentions in the NYTimes article, "They Loved Your GPA, Then They Saw Your Tweets" admissions officers "said they had visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them." The professors are not going through your closet, or tapping your phone, they are simply doing what any other person on Earth could be doing, googling your name. I do admit that googling a name is not the most effective way of finding someone on Facebook, I looked for a picture of my mom that I really liked, and apparently her name belongs to many, many people who have been arrested. However, I believe if they find the right profile, they have all the right in the world to go through your posts and pictures. Not to mention that there are, in fact, privacy settings on your account. If you use profanity, use it in chat or in person.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I somewhat agree with Kaitlin's point, colleges should not be checking our Facebook accounts to see if we are a right match for them. On Facebook, we socialize and basically take a break from the daytime professional impression we try to get off. We are already watched during the day so we know we we need to present ourselves in such a way that the college we dream of will see this and want us. So when we do go home, we be ourselves. However, now we cannot even do that. We cannot talk or joke with our friends because even here we are monitored. This is similar to Orwell's "1984" where the civilians were watched every second of the day.Orwell writes "Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard". (Orwell 3) Does this mean that we are living in a dystopian society? To a sense one can say yes. Anything that one does that does not present their best persona can be now scrutinized and used against us to make colleges reject us. This is why colleges should not use our Facebook accounts as a way to decide if they should take us in. What we do on Facebook is not how we act in school or at work.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, colleges need access to as much information as is made publicly available in order to make a good decision about who is and isn't a good choice for them. Colleges need to maintain their reputations, which is why they only pick the best of the best. If what you say is online, then it's fair game. Using expletives online is the same as dropping the F-bomb during a college interview. People need to take control of what they say online, and not be so reckless. When people scroll down through the End User License Agreement and click Accept, they accept that their public posts, which they can make private, are in fact, as stated, not private. There are plenty of private ways to communicate, such as email, cell phones, and face to face. If colleges monitored those, it would be illegal and there would be uproar, but they only monitor the public information, and so, while we may not like it, we have to accept it. This is similar to Orwell's 1984 where "You had to live-did live...in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard" (Orwell 3). While in the book this is used to describe a system where every action was monitored, this can also be a good thing in real life, where it will make people more accountable for their actions, and help clean up the Web from all its cursing a bit. For colleges, as well as people, reading Facebook posts is justified, just like it's justified to hear when people talk in your ear.
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