In an unprecedented move, the moderators of the popular site OMGUW.com have removed the ability to post anonymously on its site and have utilized IP backtracking to identify all anonymous contributors to the site since Winter 2009. This action has prompted outrage from a large percentage of the student population on campus, due to the loss of the ability to anonymously criticize and degrade the many aspects of university life and the students who are a part of it.
The primary function of the website is to allow students to post short, microblog-style posts that bring attention to everyday intricacies that students at Waterloo face. The post is prefixed with the phrase “OMG:”, followed by a short observation, statement, or question that is intended to resonate with the student body on campus. Anyone has the ability to comment on each post, to further explore the topic that has been presented. Comments range anywhere from supporting the initial statement, providing a counter argument to a post, completely disregarding the original post and launching an unprovoked personal attack on <insert any university group, service, student government, or individual>, or contributing witty banter such as “OMGWTF stfu u r such a n00bb!!1!”
The newly released information added has added an entirely new layer to the site, and the moderators are excited about the new changes. “OMG UW is continuing to push the limit on microblogging,” says M, one of the site’s moderators. “Now, instead of just reacting to what has been posted, there’s a whole new dimension added by knowing who posted it!”
Over seven Facebook groups have been formed to protest the release of this private information. “Where am I supposed to vent my frustrations and gripes now?” says Bradley, an undergraduate in legal studies. “I have so much anger and witty banter that the campus needs to know about. How else am I going to let the Federation of Students know that I don’t think they are doing a good job? Or that the Iron Warrior is a terrible publication?” When asked why he doesn’t go and actually speak with the student leaders and newspaper columnists and make his opinion known, he responded with “You can do that?!”
Frantic students have attempted to plead with the moderators to remove their names from posts. One student, who commented anonymously through a fake Twitter account with the hashtag #OMGgate, voiced outrage. “A lot of that information was secret! I don’t want people to know that I personally think that the current Faculty Orientation Committee members are losers. Some of those people think I’m their friend! I just wanted students to be aware of their douchebaggery!” However, searching the posts for ‘FOC’ has identified the poster as Justin, a third year kinesiology student.
However, there are a few students that are applauding the changes. Samantha, a third year biology student, was elated at the information that was divulged. “Last month, someone posted that they totally saw me flirting with Josh, when I totally wasn’t. I totally thought that Melissa posted that to OMG UW, so I totally got in a fight with her. The site totally just revealed that it was Suzanne, not Melissa! Oh my God! What a little skank! I’m so totally not her Facebook friend anymore.”
There have been many surprising individuals who have posted to the site. David Johnston, the former University of Waterloo President and current Governor-General of Canada, has been a frequent contributor. He has posted in the past about how much he ‘hates the fucking geese on campus’, and rumor is that he is working with the Prime Minister’s Office to remove the word ‘Canadian’ from ‘Canadian Geese’. The Canadian Government could not be reached for comment, but efforts are underway to contact the Harper Government for an official statement.
The moderators have hinted at future improvements, including the ability to impersonate other people while posting, to provide phone numbers in the “Missed Connections” section, and to identify the individuals quoted in the “Overheard at UW” section.
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