Teenagers regard social media––namely Facebook and Twitter––as the greatest invention our generation has ever known. Although we see it as a source of daily gossip, it defines the progress of the communication methods of our time. Communicating through technology is convenient, yet the progressing trend of communication through social networking sites declines towards anonymous harassment.

What does this say about our generation?

Teenagers fail to understand that once something ends up on the Internet, it’s out there forever. Other people become privy to the information tweeted on anonymous accounts, and as of late, these accounts have upset a lot of people. Such accounts including @RedKnightProb and @awkwardBSM give our school a bad name, lowering our school’s standards to a bunch of immature, gossip-hungry children.

Furthermore, no one needs all the extra drama in their lives based on Facebook gossip. In fact, more drama is created based on students trying to figure out who owns unknown profiles like “Sarah Secretive.”

Our generation has become accustomed to finding humor in cruelty; that’s just how pop culture evolved. However, those students who choose to respond with anonymous accounts show a juvenile ignorance towards the feelings of others. Putting people down is the wrong approach to gain attention and get people to talk about you.

People change who they are on the Internet. Those who create incognito accounts say things they would never have the courage to say to others’ faces. Even though accounts like this are unnamed, time and time again they prove to be either slanderous or whiny.

Why test the waters with anonymous accounts? Students have more respect for those who speak their minds directly because they were capable of being honest with their opinions. If you can’t handle the consequences of being judged, don’t say anything at all.

Hiding behind an alter ego doesn’t make you a hero; creating anonymous accounts to rip on people doesn’t make you a vigilante; being insensitive isn’t a substitution for being funny.