Saturday, December 20, 2008, 1:02am
Think of it: Sitting back for 8-10 months, (even a few years), maybe friending everyone and posing as an incoming student. Think of the data collection. The opportunities down the road to push affiliate links. The opportunity to appear to be an 'Admin' of Your School Class of 2013. The chance to message alumni down the road. The list of possibilities goes on and on and on.
I've said many times, step back and let the student group start on its own. Today, I change that position. It seems that we have been gamed, and we need to at least own the admin rights to the group in an effort to protect our incoming students. To end the possibility of them being pushed ads and "buy these sheets for college" stuff this summer. You know there is a motive behind all of this. And you know it has to do with money. And you KNOW you're going to get calls about it when it happens.
This will always be an issue on the Internet. If you're on someone else's site, there will always be people who try and beat you to something. Identity will be more and more of an issue. You can't fight back by creating a new group and calling it "official" because there is really no official class of 2013 group. Facebook itself isn't an official anything, that's why everyone likes it. If you want an "official" place online for you to talk to your classmates, have your school create it, host it and vet access to it.