‘Non Sibi Teens’ Share Memes in New Facebook Group

School Facebook pages are not a new phenomenon. Recently, however, academic institutions across the country have seen an influx in meme pages, on which students can post and share memes, humorous images, videos or pieces of text relevant to everyday school life. This trend is exemplified by pages such as UC Berkeley’s Facebook meme page, “UC Berkeley Memes for Edgy Teens,” which boasts over 100,000 members. Students at the Academy have followed suit, forming their own page called  “Exeter Memes for Non Sibi Teens” (EMNST). While most students see the page as a light-hearted outlet for student-generated humor, the creation of such groups raises questions around the risks of an anonymous platform for students to submit content.

 “I think it’s just a place for people to spread good humor pertaining to the community. Exeter’s already pretty stressful as is so this can actually be pretty good for the community,”

EMNST was created over the summer by an anonymous admin account named “PEA Mims.” The page currently has just over 1000 members. Content on the page depicts everyday Exonian struggles, such as assembly checks, as well as satirical reactions to school news, like the 2016-17 Student Council Elections. Students can choose to post directly to the public group, or submit content to be posted at the discretion of the admin.

Similar groups have existed in the past, such as “Bus Ride,” which took on the same role of posting content and facilitating discussions. Harvard’s decision to rescind at least ten acceptances this year for students who posted “obscene memes” in a private group, as reported by The Harvard Crimson, points to the potential for abuse within such meme platforms.

Upper Sam Michaels, however, saw Exeter’s page as an opportunity for students to take a break from their strenuous schedules and enjoy some humorous memes. “I think it’s just a place for people to spread good humor pertaining to the community. Exeter’s already pretty stressful as is so this can actually be pretty good for the community,” Michaels said.

Lower Nathan James expressed similar thoughts about the page, saying that Facebook pages like EMNST also allow students to vent about any nagging concerns, annoyances or issues they have with their lives in the form of memes. “I think with all the stress students can feel during the school year, this page can allow them to express some of their frustrations in a humourous way.” Thus, the page allows students to be heard and sympathize with one another.

Part of the success of the page may be due to the fact that students can connect with each other through the memes posted on the page. “Understanding what makes people laugh and capitalizing upon that really lets people feel like they’re an intricate part of this community,” senior Anzi DeBenedetto said. “Everyone likes to complain. You can’t go a day on campus without hearing someone bragging about how little sleep they got or fishing for sympathy points with a bad grade. Making memes is probably one of the healthier ways to cope with school.”

Debenedetto further explained that in a school like Exeter, students may feel isolated or overworked due to the rigorous curriculum and schedule. Facebook pages like EMNST help strengthen the bonds between Exonians. “The rush of posting something and having it liked, shared or commented on, plays into our desire to connect with those surrounding us,” he said.

Since EMNST’s creation, there have not been major concerns from students or alumni about the page. The moderator, PEA Mims, has the power to remove inappropriate content and track all submissions, and has the power to censure anonymously submitted content. “As it is, I think it’s pretty harmless,” DeBenedetto said. “There’s a moderator (PEA Mims) so inappropriate content can be filtered out, and any cyber-bullying is prevented under the community’s watchful eye.” 

Michaels shared similar beliefs, saying that students are actively taking responsibility for posting and viewing memes on the page. Michaels said, “If you want to post content, you have to put your name with it so I think that makes people more cautious.” If a student wants to post a meme but does not want to necessarily be associated with it, they can also submit it to the PEA Mims Moderator.

Once the meme is posted, the other students viewing the meme are welcome to comment their opinions and whether or not it is appropriate. Thus, Michael said,  “...in the case that that doesn’t work out, we always have the community who can condemn such posts.”

Senior Stuart Rucker also believed that the page provided an environment conducive to open and responsible content. Citing how the majority of posts are not anonymous, he said, “I don’t think there is much potential for hearsay or bullying, or whatever Principal MacFarlane is worried about when there is a name linked to a post.”

As a page run by students of the Academy, EMNST is subject to the Internet and Social Media Policies outlined in the Ebook. This includes a clause about Bullying, Harassment and Hazing. Arthur Cosgrove, Dean of Residential Life, expressed concerns about the nature of the page. “In my experience, anonymous commentary that is directed towards individuals on social media is unpredictable and without any context or vehicle for conversation, has the potential to be misunderstood and have a negative effect on the community,” he said. “If there is something happening on social media that is directly impacting our student body in a negative way, we have a responsibility to at least engage our community in a discussion about what is happening.”

Director of Communications Robin Giampa acknowledged that there are many social media groups and pages for PEA students and alumni that aren’t official or managed by PEA. From the communications perspective, Giampa said, “Some of those may be helpful platforms for dialogue on important issues, but there are others that can be less productive and may run contrary to building a healthy and respectful community.” Giampa did not say which category Facebook pages like EMNST fall under. However, she did say, “Exeter students learn the value of dialogue and disagreement and listening and that’s not always possible or effective to do online.” 

On the other hand, users in the EMNST Facebook page argue that memes help start conversations about serious topics such as politics and sexual assault. Jeffrey Drummond ‘68 said, “I think social media groups like Facebook groups and pages provide an outlet to spread information quickly to many people.” While the memes posted on the page may not directly initiate solutions to issues brought up by students, they are broadcast to a large audience and often instigate debate in the comments section.

Drummond believed there are certainly instances in which the administration should step in to deal with a situation of bullying or discrimination, but otherwise believed that the page should be left to the realm of students. “We, the entire Exeter community, need to have an unrestrained flow of information so that issues can be criticized when they rightly deserve to be,” he said. “If we don’t have these outlets then administrators can do things unchecked. For example, I know that a significant part of the alumni community heard of the sexual harassment scandals through such platforms, and was able to participate in important discussions only because of these mediums.”

Vamsi Gadde ‘17, former moderator of Bus Ride, says that these types of Facebook groups are an easy way for students to “Harkness” online. “I thought of it as a big Harkness Table where anyone could discuss whatever they found interesting,” he said. “Topics changed all the time and included politics, morality, school issues or simple jokes.”

In terms of maintaining the page, Gadde says that he and other moderators followed basic guidelines to ensure that posts were non-toxic. “It was a general forum for anyone to anonymously voice their opinion as long as I deemed it acceptable for the page, i.e. no bullying or targeting of a single person.”

Gadde expressed that he ultimately supports these Facebook groups for the positive benefits that they bring. In response to whether or not Facebook groups should be continued, Gadde said, “Absolutely. It’s fun for the community and excellent for discussion with such a large audience. I hope these groups continue at Exeter and beyond.”

The current moderator for the group, account name Pea Mims, shared similar thoughts. “I don’t believe Exeter Memes allows much room for offensive content, as most people post in the group under their real names,” the user said. “Usually trouble comes from anonymity, and unlike Bus Ride or Yik Yak, most of the posts in Exeter Memes are not anonymous. Hence, I believe there is no need for administrative oversight, especially given the history of administration systematically killing fun.”

For the most part, students appear to be supportive of Facebook groups like EMNST and Bus Ride and it certainly seems that they are here to stay. As of now, EMNST has not run into any major issues concerning the posts on the page and the administration has not had to step in or monitor the page. Whether or not EMNST will continue to remain a place where students can connect and humorously discuss issues will depend on the students.