“The solution, end the page. Simple, uncomplicated.” -@cov_confessions
This month, @cov_confessions, the Instagram page that once boasted an estimated 276 followers—most of whom were Covenant students—erased all posts, leaving students with conflicting reactions. The account, which posted “confessions” written and submitted by anonymous students, gained popularity and ignited controversy for its often questionable, negative content.
The account was founded on anonymity of all parties. For this reason, the four account administrators would not provide their names, as they take responsibility for creating the platform. It gave students the opportunity to say what normally is secret or forbidden, and the creators were curious to see its results.
After running for a time, the page was cleared by the administrators themselves to resolve an ongoing conversation that resulted from circling rumors and complaints about the direction of the page’s content by students and administration. Not only did rumors spread around campus, but complaints were expressed via direct message and anonymous submission as well.
While the page may have had negative impacts, several students praised it for its humor and authenticity. “I’ve had several students say they enjoy the page because it’s comedic, they just see it as entertainment. Beyond that, it may provide the campus with a sense of humility, that not everyone here is perfect,” an owner wrote.
As far as the administrators of the page are aware, no disciplinary actions resulted from their posts. However, certain posts did lead to “some heated discussions,” they said. “Ultimately, we decided that the page was not conducive to a positive community environment on campus, and decided to shut it down.”
When asked for solutions, @cov_confessions suggested healthier ways to discuss these topics. One idea was the establishment of a transparent forum where students were not only challenged to confess, but encouraged to seek resolutions. Another suggestion was a student-led panel that read anonymous submissions and invited campus community members to discuss solutions.
According to Jonathan Wylie, Associate Dean of Students, Covenant College does not monitor any social media.
“One of our biggest sins as a community is gossip and using words that tear one another down.” Wylie said. He went on to differentiate between the Christian’s calling to both private or public confession, depending on the context.
Wylie explained his disinclination to squelch these sorts of conversations, as the discussion of sins allows them to be brought to light and turned from, to which we are called. “Maybe the Lord is going to use this as something that’s calling us into action.”
While Wylie, who never followed the account, believes the administrators desired to glorify God, he asked the question, “How do we love one another well?
Olivia Mineo ’22, who did follow the account, provided some additional insight from a student’s perspective. Originally, the page claimed to publish all the stories the Bagpipe could not. “It started off really innocent,” she said, explaining that submissions would be about secret crushes and other topics just as serious. The administrators would also include their reactions within the posts’ captions.
“After a while, more and more people started to get bold, and started to confess more inappropriate stuff,” Mineo said. She found it humorous, adding that Covenant students would oftentimes not imagine such activities occurring on campus.
According to Mineo, @cov_confessions posted Instagram stories revealing followers’ requests to remove the page and complaints of it being offensive. She pointed out that the moderators weren’t the ones making “confessions,” only sharing them. While it may not be right to share certain posts, she feels contributors should take responsibility for any offensive content that was shared.
“I just thought it was funny. I liked seeing it, and it was interesting to see how each confession got worse and worse.” Mineo explained that she didn’t feel the administrators were trying to get anyone in trouble, but were simply exposing students to campus activity.
Lastly, Mineo commented on the difficulty of healthy confessions while at Covenant, which she partly attributed to the Standards of Conduct. While in no way was she advocating their curtail, she expressed her sentiment that the more rules are enforced, the more they are broken.
“If you're upset, just unfollow and report it.”
Julia Smith ’21 followed @cov_confessions simply to be informed of its content. Smith is not trying to condemn the writers of the confessions, but rather the moderators’ decisions to publish them. “I’m not gonna hate on you or judge you for doing whatever your little confession was, whether it be stealing a loaf of bread from the great hall, or getting high in Mills. But I think the page was encouraging submissions of these confessions in a way that was more like glorifying and celebrating these little dirty acts…”
“There seems to be no signs of repentance from anyone,” said Smith, referencing people’s laughing in the comments, which trivialized unethical behavior.
Some confessions tore down certain groups and people indirectly, and several posts were also about pornography and masturbation, she said. “A confession like that should be a sign […] A lot of these confessions were cries for help, and we’re just kind of celebrating them.” If our brother or sister is struggling with porn or any other issue, we’re called to come alongside and build them up.
“It wasn’t a supportive community, or a community running towards Christ,” Smith said. Instead, it seemed to scream that students weren’t all “good” people, and failed to challenge one another in good ways. @Cov_confessions could have run in two different ways, Smith suggested. It may have published only light-hearted content, or acted as a resource for troubled students. Certain issues are not easily resolved through social media, as one’s struggles must be brought to light before he or she can receive help.
While Smith acknowledges her own fallenness, she feels people are not convicted if they submit confessions anonymously.
“It’s more saddening than anything, I think—the whole page. Because it just shows a lot of immaturity.” The page gave the impression that more students partake in wrong activity than is the case.