Have you heard of TBH? It stands for “To be honest” and it’s pretty popular with the teens on Facebook. They’ll create a status that says something like “First 10 Likes for a TBH” which follows with their Facebook friends pressing the “Like” button. Then, the person who wrote the original status, writes a “To be honest” on the “Facebook Wall” of the person who liked their status.
Stuff like…
“To be honest…you have really great hair and I loved the red jeans you wore on Thursday.”
“To be honest…you’re one of my best friends and you’re really pretty.”
“To be honest…you’re the best soccer player and that was a wicked goal on Saturday!”
“To be honest…I don’t really know you all that well but I think you’re really funny in class.”
“To be honest…I used to have a crush on you.”
They’re typically innocent comments and from everything I’ve seen…quite positive. Which is good. Because a long time ago I heard that it took twenty positive comments to erase one negative one.
Words cut deep through a child.
Sadly, social media allows for a place where young people can belittle and betray one another…often anonymously. We’ve heard the stories of teens being bullied…having miserable high school years that in some cases have led to suicide. The bullying, while it has always been there, is so much worse with technology of today.
Remember the “Mean Girls” movie where there was a scrapbook that detailed young girls lives? How about “Gossip Girl”?
Well, I’ve recently seen it on Twitter and it’s appalling. Local Junior High and High School students creating anonymous accounts where they “call out” one another for everything and anything. Sex…Religion…Race…it’s all fair game when you’re doing it anonymously. Lude and crude comments about classmates…it’s a free for all and it needs to be stopped.
I did a few searches to see what was out there and was shocked. Absolutely shocked. Young people being named in various “teen” scandals…revealing photos being posted from a party gone wrong…blatant disregard for any ones privacy or personal choices.
It’s beyond sad.
Schools administrators are doing everything they can to get these sites shut down…many have been…many more need to be. However, just as quickly as they shut one down another pops up and hundreds of kids start following the site…sending in information to be posted “anonymously” about other students.
Parents…I’m begging you…know what’s written about your child online. Own their passwords for their own safety. Be aware of the various social media sites that are out there and know how to use them…how to search for and find information. Sit down with your children and have them show you around online.
Kids…be nice to one another! When you see these sites tell a school administrator. Don’t become a “fan” or “follower” of the site. Be respectful of one another…of other student’s race, religion, personal choices. Friend someone who’s being bullied…stand up for them…tell an adult.
To be honest…from everything I can tell…it’s a cruel, cruel world out there.
Kudos to you on another wonderfully written article! I'm sharing it.
TLH