Warning about new social networking site where Walnut Creek kids are bullying and harassing each other

We already--or should already--know about Facebook, Twitter, texting, sexting. Now, Walnut Creek school officials are alerting parents to another online networking site with a strong potential for abuse and causing harm.

It's called formspring.me. Walnut Creek Intermediate Principal Kevin Collins says formspring.me is becoming an increasingly popular place for middle and high school students to network and socialize, and to also say things to one another that are obscene, demeaning, and harassing.

"We have seen postings from current and former students that include horrible language, boasts about unsafe behaviors, and threats to other students," Collins says.  He adds that the postings on formspring.me has caused some issues between WCI students, but he believes it is more widely used among high school students.

According it its Wikipedia site, formspring.me launched on November 25, 2009 and has already become a hit--and a source of controversy. Last month, an argument over formspring.me led to fight breaking out in a high school in Pennsylvania. Insulting comments posted about a 17-year-old Long Island girl may have led to her suicide in late March (Alexis Pilkington, at right, received many vicious taunts on social networking sites, notably formspring.me, prior to her death, news reports say).

"Unlike some other sites, its business model is not easy to discern," Colins said. "The other key feature is that there does not seem to be any ability to filter or report abuse on the site."

Its business model, such as it is, is a Question and Answer form. That is, friends--and enemies--post questions or comments to people's formspring pages. The owner of the page--or user of the service--answers back. 

That lack of filter, or of self-restraint, seems pretty evident among these selections of exchanges that took place on the formspring page of a Walnut Creek girl, a student at one of our high schools.

Here is a series of Q and A's posted in the past couple days her page. The "Q" is the "guest" or "reader" posting the question to the user of the page; the "A" is the user's response.

Q: go back to your moms vachina

A: no thaaanks:)


Q: ok, here he here he...ur a lesbian motherf-----. i f----- hate your [deleted; racial epithet] ass. my asss you dont comment on random peoples pics...no one likes you PERIOD
A: wtf, why you stalking me nd watching every move i make on facebook? thats just creepy

Q: don't "what tha f---" me bitch. i straight up said it. you obviously know that you have flirted with someone's man. you little ugly bitch needs to back the f--- off because NO ONE respects a home-wrecker.

A: calm yur ass budd, i said what tha f--- cuz i didnt know what home wrecker meant. nd if youu think im flirting with yur man, which im probably not, then tell me somehow who youu are so i can stop "flirting" with yur boyfriend


Q: BACK THE F---- OFF OF MY BOYFRIEND!!

A; whoaa, s--- im not doin anything with anybody. im juss talkin, nd yur probably juss takin it tha wrong way :)

According to formspring.me's terms of service, users must be at least 13 years old. The terms also tell prospective users: "You understand that in using the formspring.me service you may encounter content that may be deemed objectionable, obscene or in poor taste, which content may or may not be identified as having explicit language. The formspring.me service allows for anonymous content which formspring.me does not monitor. You agree to use the formspring.me service at your own risk and that formspring.me shall have no liability to you for content that you may find objectionable, obscene or in poor taste."

Users must agree to not engage in any illegal activity--and to not "transmit any pornographic, obscene, offensive, threatening, harassing, libelous, hate-oriented, harmful, defamatory, racist, illegal or otherwise objectionable material or content." 

Hmm. It looks like some of these Walnut Creek students have possibly violated the formspring.me's terms of service.  Oh, but maybe they are just joking around with each other, and this is just how teens hassle one another, but in a friendly way. Is that possible?

Before I close, check out this exchange between a male Walnut Creek student and one of his readers/friends/enemies/hookups:

Q: "You're a f------ a------ and you're full of s---. You're desperate as f--- and you'll hook up with any bitch that wants to give you head. F--- you.

A: um im sorry ur a stupid bitch and u expect me not to flirt with other girls when u r like hooking up with other guys. your f------ crazy, strait crazy. u cant expect me to not when ur getting around so stfu u f------ hypocrite and i wont hook up with annny bitch, only fine ones :

How can teens manage Facebook, homework and everything else?

A Walnut Creek friend recently told me about her very high-achieving daughter. This girl is a senior at one of our local high schools, and she's busting her butt to maintain a 4.5 grade-point average and to keep up with the kinds of extracurricular activities (swim team, drama, tutoring kids at risk) that supposedly show prospective colleges that she's well-rounded.

But here's the thing. She's had to sacrifice her social life. She mostly keeps up with friends on Facebook. She skipped her homecoming dance to fill out college applications. According to my friend, this is the way of life for certain high-achieving kids these days.

Other parents might have to kid who is using Facebook to avoid doing homework--or to avoid actually interacting with people in person. You also have kids using social media in very unhealthy and harmful ways--hurting both themselves and other people. Middle and high schools are having to deal with students bullying others via Facebook, texting, and other social media.

With this whole new universe of technology available to kids, what should parents know?

Find out at a panel discussion this Saturday, "Helping teens learn in an era of digital overload."

This panel discussion, at the Orinda Academy from 10 a.m. to noon, will feature experts on teens and technology, such as Facebook, TV, Twitter, etc.

Panelists will include Beth Samuelson, director of Student Organization Services, which offers academic coaching and customized study strategies and techniques; Jason Brand, specializes in positive adolescent technology relationships; Rona Renner, parent educator and Childhood Matters radio talk show host; Paul Lipson, former Orinda Academy music teacher, technology teacher, and video game designer who is currently president of the Game Audio Network Guild and the COO and Composer at Pyramind, Inc.; and Orinda Academy student, Dylan Kimsey-Hutchinson, a digital music composer, Facebook and video game enthusiast and valedictorian for OA class of 2010 who will be attending Carnegie Mellon University in Fall 2010.

Topics covered will include:

--Can students successfully multi-task with school work and electronics? Find out what the research shows,
--Facebook or homework? Tips and strategies for parents to help teens manage school and media.
--What are the ways to cut through the media clutter and chatter to help teens improve study and learning skills?

Orinda Academy, a private, college prep school, is located at 19 Altarinda Rd., Orinda. The fee is $10 per person. Because seating is limited, you should reserve in advance by going to http://www.sos4students.com/