Which university or media organization are we talking about?
In the heart of Worcester, Massachusetts, Holy Cross campus has been abuzz with a mix of excitement and controversy. The weather has been warming up, and students are enjoying the spring breeze, but some are questioning the ethics behind the campus's content creators.
Last Monday night, Moo Deng, the globally beloved baby hippo, was spotted strolling on the Holy Cross campus, adding a unique twist to the usual campus scenery. However, the focus has primarily been on the college's content creators, who have been capturing students for their social media.
Mack Hughes '25, the Chief Eggplant Editor and a student at Holy Cross, found himself in the spotlight once again. He was photographed in a disheveled state after a difficult exam, this time in the "Eggplant" section, the satire organization's newly acquired news section in a recent auction.
The Eggplant, known for its satirical humour, has been impassioned with capitalistic ventures, stirring debates about the line between humour and exploitation. Mack Hughes '25, who also heads the organisation, has been at the centre of these discussions.
The photos taken by the content creators often depict students in relaxed or enjoyable situations, but the privacy and consent issues surrounding these practices have come under scrutiny. Students may not always provide informed, voluntary consent for their images to be recorded and publicly shared, raising concerns about violating students' privacy rights and autonomy.
The privacy concerns and ethical implications of such practices centre primarily on consent, digital permanence, exploitation, and psychological impact. The enduring nature of social media posts can affect students’ reputations, future admissions, and job prospects if inappropriate or misconstrued material circulates or is archived indefinitely.
Being publicly portrayed on social media can increase anxiety, self-consciousness, or pressure to conform to a positive persona online. Students may experience stress about how they appear, leading to potential mental health issues consistent with broader concerns about social media’s impact on youth.
To address these concerns, colleges must balance marketing benefits with respect for students’ rights and well-being. Ethical practices include clear, explicit consent policies, options for students to opt out without penalty, responsible content use, and mechanisms to review, correct, or remove content upon request.
In a separate development, The Onion has recently purchased Alex Jones' website InfoWars, while the Instagram account of Holy Cross has been active recently, posting a reel of a Hozier song trend and a photo with the title "Beautiful Campus Brings Tears to Students' Eyes."
As the campus continues to evolve, the debate surrounding the content creators' practices and the role of satire organizations remains a topic of discussion among students and faculty alike.
The content creators' practices on Holy Cross campus, capturing students for social media, have been under scrutiny due to questions about privacy and consent. The enduring nature of social media posts can impact students' reputations, future opportunities, and mental health. To mitigate these concerns, colleges must establish clear policies for consent, opt-out options, and responsible content use. Meanwhile, The Onion's acquisition of InfoWars and the Holy Cross Instagram account's recent posts show that the debate surrounding satire organizations' ethics remains ongoing. The campus community continues to discuss these issues as the campus evolves. Additionally, lifestyle, home-and-garden, books, education-and-self-development, and entertainment topics seem irrelevant or inconsistent within the given context and the previous text.
