'Adelphi Secrets' Facebook Page Causes Stir at Adelphi

Facebook has become a major social media outlet visited by millions of people a day. Now, with the help of an anonymous Adelphi student behind a computer, one Facebook page has turned into the source of the latest on campus gossip.

Complete with a picture of the school’s seal with the quote “The Truth Shall Make Us Free,” and entitled ‘Adelphi Secrets,’ the page has made a true presence on Facebook. The unknown creator accepts messages from students on Facebook, and anonymously posts their secrets, gossip, jokes and whatever else the student body decides to entrust to the world. The draw to the page is seemingly the desire to talk about people and on-campus happenings at the school without anybody finding out the original poster.

Examples include anything from rumors about a new building on campus to secret admirers.  

However, Adelphi Facebook users don’t actually know who is getting their secrets.

“I’ve seen the page on Facebook many times,” said Adelphi junior JT Kirby. “I liked the page, in fairness it’s somewhat addicting to see what they’ll post next. Personally, I never posted on it and for all I know it’s being run by the administration.”

‘Adelphi Secrets’ currently has more than 980 page likes, more than any other organization on campus. More than 650 posts have been added to the page throughout the three months it has been up.

Control of the Facebook world at Adelphi belongs to ‘Secrets,’ but certain posts have sparked disputes within on-campus communities such as Greek Life, students with specific majors, athletes, etc.

“There are plenty of posts about Greeks vs. non-Greeks on that page,” said Adelphi junior and Delta Gamma sorority member Emily Bascelli. “The page doesn’t help the Greek image, especially with all the posts saying how we are cliquey, mean, and unapproachable. I’ve seen numerous nasty posts about Greek life as a whole, and it just isn’t necessary to have to deal with.”

Similarly, College ACB was a gossip website that was strictly designed for gossip talk within many different college campuses. After students complained about the nature of the posts, the site was taken down.

Adelphi vice president for communications Lori Duggan Gold told Patch the university is “aware of the page.”

"The students on the site are providing support and solid advice. We will not force anyone to take it down," Gold said.  

The creator of ‘Adelphi Secrets’ agreed to an interview under the condition of anonymity.

Patch: What made you come up with the Adelphi secrets page? How did the idea come into your head and what prompted you to start it up?
Adelphi Secrets: I knew of similar pages for other colleges. I checked to see if Adelphi had a page of this nature and when it didn't I decided to make one myself.

Patch:  How do you feel it has affected the campus as a whole?
Adelphi Secrets: As a whole, I think the page is just seen as a page for entertainment. While this wasn’t the original intent of the page, I’m glad I can help entertain my fellow Adelphi students.

Patch: How do you decide what gets posted on the site and what gets trashed?
Adelphi Secrets: Generally, anything hurtful now gets trashed. There are times now and then where hurtful submissions still get through. If anything is truly bothersome I’ve announced several times that people can message me asking me to take down the post. I have no problem doing that.

Patch: Numerous posts have come under scrutiny for negative things said. How do you respond to that?
Adelphi Secrets: Not to sound cliché but you can’t please everyone and what may seem negative to one may not seem negative to another. There’s a difference between reading something negative and reading something hurtful.

Patch: You've decided to cut down on negative posts, yet it kind of caused the page popularity to drop. Do you think the AU population wants gossip and negativity?
Adelphi Secrets: It’s hard to believe people don’t like the negativity and gossip that the page used to have. If they didn’t like it, the page wouldn’t be where it is today. While some may want gossip and such, I don’t want this page going down that road again anyone who doesn’t like it is free to unlike the page.

Patch: Years ago there was a gossip site called college acb that posted nothing but gossip and negativity. It caused many issues on campus and the site was shut down. Do you compare your page to college acb at all?
Adelphi Secrets: The difference is my page is geared towards trying to strengthen the community by giving a safe outlet to harmlessly connect with others in a personal way. While Adelphi secrets did see a lot of hateful submissions, I can’t say I compare the two.

Patch: Has administration figured out who you are yet? Have they given you any issues about the Facebook page?
Adelphi Secrets: I made it very obvious to the administration who I am. I’ve discussed the page with them and I was suggested to take the page down, but I don’t plan on doing this.

Patch: "Attacks" on Greek life are a common theme within Adelphi secrets. How do you think the page has affected the Greek community as a whole?
Adelphi Secrets: I would say there *were* a common theme within submissions. From what I can remember, a lot of the posts dealt with misconceptions about Greek life. I saw a lot of this as a chance for them to clear up these misconceptions. Call me naïve or optimistic, but I saw a lot of those submissions as a positive thing at first.

Patch:  There are over 650 posts, yet the posts are coming in slower, and some of them are more ridiculous and about nothing. Would you consider going back to posting everything good or bad, or do you think it is too damaging to the community?
Adelphi Secrets: I don’t mind the slower posts. Yeah, some things might be ridiculous or about nothing, but majority aren’t harmful. I allow some of these to encourage others to submit. Posting everything would not be a good idea. You should see all the things I don’t post!

Patch:  Do you expect to reach 1,000 likes very soon, or do you think you will stay in limbo around 980 for a while?
Adelphi Secrets: 1,000 likes seems inevitable at this point. The school is big enough to reach this number soon.

Patch:  Can you tell us if you are a male or a female, and what year you are in?
Adelphi Secrets: I knew this question was coming. Unfortunately, I don’t plan on definitively answering these. However, I think based on how I write and what I say in general can lead to some accurate assumptions.

Patch:  Do you feel powerful having so much information on Adelphi students?
Adelphi Secrets: Powerful? No. Truthfully, I wouldn’t be able to tell you who posted what unless I checked this inbox. When I get a submission I don’t really pay attention to the name. It was never about having “dirt” on people, or being “powerful.” Their submissions are safe with me and they will never be judged for them by me.

Patch:  Do you think there is a chance of telling everyone who you are anytime soon, even if the popularity dies down?
Adelphi Secrets: The only way I can see myself announcing my identity is if I’m forced to take the page down (and I’m told I cannot be forced to) or when I graduate.

With Adelphi students entrusting their secrets to an anonymous soul, and the page not coming down, those who don’t like the page just have to grin and bear it. According to ‘Adelphi Secrets,’ the administration can’t force them to take away the page, and clearly the author has no plans to do so.

To take a look at the page, search Adelphi Secrets on Facebook.