INSTANCES OF data protection violations have been prevalent prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as lockdown forces people to operate in the online sphere, privacy infringement has been on the rise. With social media usage at an all-time high in the country, netizens continue to search for outlets to air their grievances on personal and academic matters. On Facebook, freedom walls—anonymous forums moderated by unnamed administrators—have become channels for students to share their experiences, tips, opinions and more.

Inspired by pages like The Diliman Files, “freedom wall” formats began as an avenue for individuals to write anonymous posts online. Upon The Diliman Files’ inactivity in 2018 emerged Ateneo Rantbox, which is now a dormant Facebook account. Since then, the freedom wall formula was soon modernized into university freedom walls such as ADMU Freedom Wall (FW) and DLSU Freedom Wall.

With the original ADMU FW taken down, the Blue Katip Freedom Wall (BKFW) has since emerged as the newest freedom wall for the Ateneo community. Following in the steps of its predecessor, the page draws both comedic and polarizing opinions on almost any matter under the sun. Comments on the posts are made public, bringing to fore narratives ranging from heartwarming anecdotes to divisive opinions on other universities. However, as divergent as the BKFW’s posts may be, so are the freedom wall’s effects on Ateneans.

Fun and games

With posts published on BKFW public domain, there are freedom wall users who frequently comment on such posts, thereby garnering more attention than others. Noey Silva (2 AB AM) and Benedict O’yek (3 BS ITE) are among these active users.

As well-known users of the platform, O’yek and Silva share similar experiences. “Seeing all those posts saying nice stuff about me—it really lifted my spirits. It always made my day,” Silva states, referencing posts of admiration on the page. Both students admit that in most cases, they do not find posts bothersome.

“As long as you’re not really attacking me or anything. I mean, it’s okay with me cause I’m a pretty chill person,” O’yek states. Nonetheless, their main concerns lie in the accusatory and harsh backlash to their comments.

Amusing anecdotes and polarizing opinions aside, BKFW is also well-known as a platform where messages to crushes are published. Both O’yek and Silva have expressed that they have occasionally been the subject of posts of this nature.

Despite their popularity on BKFW, both O’yek and Silva remain subject to negative posts. They have both been explicitly accused of clout chasing, the colloquial term for attempts to gain popularity and influence. However, both Silva and O’yek deny this claim.

Raising concerns

A platform that initially seems like an innocent space for fun and games, the freedom wall can pose concerns to the individuals mentioned in posts. While Silva enjoys the humor of freedom wall posts, she acknowledges the discomfort it may bring to people. “I guess there was this one post that kind of irked me, which is the ‘bored freshie girls’ who made a whole list of these [handsome] people [that] they were ranking them or something.”

Allen*, who is frequently mentioned in freedom wall posts, expresses his worries over mentions of his name in the BKFW and ADMU FW. “Don’t get me wrong, it was very flattering. It does great things to the ego, but it became really repetitive to the point that it just made me kind of uncomfortable,” he says.

Allen also narrates a specific moment where he was described in uncomfortable detail on the ADMU FW. “One time I was buying flowers for my girlfriend for Valentine’s day and someone posted, like blatantly describing my outfit,” he shares. “I’m a hundred percent sure that people get flattered by it, but I’m also sure that there are people who kind of feel uncomfortable about it.”

These stories point to the reality that anonymous posting and messaging online can bring individuals real-life consequences that verge on both positive and the negative effects. Regardless of intention, this public “self-disclosure” in individuals continues to be a reason behind these posts’ popularity. With such an open-access platform in their hands, users are afforded moments of catharsis through the posts, anecdotes, and opinions they are free to publish.

At the same time, regulating these platforms may prove to be a gruelling task as the world transitions to the digital sphere. Due to the anonymity that surrounds freedom wall submissions, there is little accountability demanded from the sender—thus, the question on whether such posts infringe students’ rights remains.

Lawful good

Chairperson of Ateneo Law’s Department of Legal Ethics, Philosophy and Theology Eugenio Villareal classifies BKFW as an Online Social Network (OSN). He explains that every OSN, regardless of affiliation, must have their own set of guidelines to prevent major libel cases.

Recently, a number of BKFW users criticized the LGBTQ+ and the feminist community. Due to the increase in posts of contentious nature, the BKFW moderators** announced that revisions have been made to the page’s rules. The moderators have also stated that while they acknowledge that posts occasionally slip past screening, they are ready to take them down right away.

With situations like that of Allen, Villareal explains that students should take up their concerns with the BKFW moderators. He asserts that the experiences of the moderators should not be discounted, and that they are also entitled to a good name and reputation. “It is far more easy to type and click compared to seeking out people, hearing [others] out in the same way that you want to be heard out,” he adds.

Additionally, Villareal advises caution towards interacting on freedom walls. He asserts that with freedom of expression, the line must be drawn when it violates the rights of others. He also references Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which describes libel as destroying another’s reputation or crimes of similar manners.

Although he is adamant regarding the obliqueness of the BKFW, Villareal believes that it can be a positive force. “The freedom wall should be a positive thing. It should not be an instrument to destroy or hurt feelings,” he says.

O’yek shares similar sentiments, reiterating the benefits that freedom walls can bring. “It’s a fun place to be. I get to learn stuff there. I get to sympathize, empathize with people there. People who complain, people who give advice, people who share their life stories sometimes—[it] helps me,” O’yek shares.

Members of the Ateneo community—as well as frequenters of the BKFW wall—must carefully consider the posts they upload to the page. “As Ateneans, we have been taught that there is what is called responsibility. It is responsibility that makes us authentic persons,” Villareal explains.

Likewise, Silva urges potential posters to think before they post. “You never know how it could affect other people especially if you’re bluntly saying something that could negatively affect a person… It always helps to put yourself in another person’s shoes,” she says.

*Editor’s Note: The name of the interviewee has been changed at his request in order to protect his identity and privacy.

**The BKFW moderators’ identities have also been withheld upon their request.