For decades, students have taken to bathroom stalls with Sharpies in hand to spread gossip and rumors. However, the bathroom stalls have ceased to be the primary avenue for such information. Recently, many have taken to social media as a new means to spread hateful rumors to a larger audience.

Social media has become an increasingly prevalent part of everyday life, especially for high school students. It can be used as a means to effectively communicate and stay connected with friends, family, and professionals. Sadly, many misuse social media as a means to put down and bully others.

The creation of various new social media accounts spreading harmful gossip has become a growing issue. Such accounts are not only harmful, but also unreliable sources of information.

Frequently, the rumors that start on these accounts are often untrue, fueled more by a desire to get attention or revenge than anything else. In the age of anonymity, anything posted on social media accounts should be taken with a grain of salt.

Furthermore, such accounts create a sense of disunity and give the school a poor reputation. Often, social media users from other schools have no idea what Bryan High is like. When the most public aspect of a school is a mean gossip page, it overshadows all of the positive aspects and accomplishments of the school.

At the end of the day, your high school experience is determined in part by your school pride.

Instead of being rude and hurtful to our fellow students, take the moral high road and ignore the multitude of hateful new social media accounts polluting the internet.

Use social media as a means to stay connected with those around you, to share a laugh over a family picture, or make plans to meet an old friend.