TWU Confessions: An Anonymous Controversy

TWU Confessions is an Instagram account which has been widely known over the years as a place to share thoughts, feelings, and general comments anonymously. Though many different variations of the account have existed, the general idea has remained the same: by clicking a link in the page’s bio, anyone can write anything to be submitted in posts which come out every few days. These submissions are filtered through an unknown facilitator of the account. Both sides of the operation remain unnamed, sender and receiver.

are looking at, and it just fosters more gossip,” was one opinion voiced on the matter.

The opposed position centers around the behavior of those behind the screen compared to face-to-face; the idea that there are some people who are different when typing behind the mask of a digital world. Another comment shared, “Every once and awhile there’s something wholesome or funny, but it’s so tough when the majority of the posts are gossip. You’re feeding into someone’s insecurity, and that just sucks that there’s someone affiliated with TWU that’s doing that.”

“Man, these people are the scum of the earth.” I’m hoping to slow it down a little more and post more of the funny stuff and the good side of what people send in. It should be entertaining without tearing people down.” With this sincerity, it seems the account hopes to head in a better direction, perhaps towards community building even through the confessions themselves.

The idea of anonymous sharing on a social media page enables a rich discussion which leads down many avenues. Accountability, responsibility, and moral obligation come into the spotlight. TWU Confessions is fairly popular, yet has suffered from a fair share of controversy. Accusations of cyberbullying and harassment lead to this storm of “anti-confessionists” who deem this account as the plague of community life here at Trinity Western University. Yet there are always two sides to every story, and in the spirit of all that is journalistically pure, both sides must be given room to express themselves.

Those who see this page as a breeding ground for cyberbullying, harassment, and the overall festering of campus life speak boldly in their defiance of the account. Their concern stems from a care for the community and a hope that accounts such as this do not become enablers for gossip on campus. “Things that don’t need to be spread are being broadcasted on a social media platform that, of course, students

The stand of these anti-coffesionists ignites a passionate front against anonymous accounts such as this, as well as the bystanders who watch as these posts are made. One opinion said that “I think often we overlook that, and we don’t acknowledge the pain and truth behind what we are so freely commenting on and liking. That’s where I guess I’m curious about how our student body can follow and engage so positively with this account, when a lot of the time somewhere in the mix, there are confessions which are really mean and hurtful.” With the closure of this account, the hope for those opposed to TWU Confessions is a healthier campus, far from gossip and negative comments online.

However the other side of this controversy comes from a place of reflection and a more positive view of the account. They share the purpose of this account: “Sometimes it’s really wholesome and people are giving each other advice, connecting, and getting closer to the community. That’s why I started running the account.”

Furthermore, the account facilitator shares their concern for negative comments and mentions a desire to lessen the comments’ effect: “Sometimes I read through the stuff people send in and I’m just like,

Both sides speak from places of passion and sincerity. However, this controversy reflects a larger issue of anonymous accountability. It seems whether posted or not, there are those who choose to speak hatefully with the intention of bringing others down—even here in the TWU community as well. As students, as faculty, as human beings, our goal should be to live positively, to foster community, especially when we think no one is watching. We must do better.