The question of privacy has been under scrutiny since gossip news and mass media have become increasingly popular social media formats. Until recent years, only celebrities were under the steady eye of shady entertainment in the guise of journalism, but now it seems there are more and more accounts springing up on social media that treat college students as if their lives are equal to D-list celebrity drama.
Instagram accounts — specifically Barstool Sports — that re-post anonymous people’s videos that recount their embarrassing, sexually charged or borderline life threatening moments are a mockery of college students and their campuses.
Described by founder Dave Portnoy as a “TMZ ... for guys,” Barstool Sports claims they are for “a bunch of average Joes, who like most guys love sports, gambling, golfing and chasing short skirts.” However, when it comes down to it, their entire system to get likes revolves around romanticizing party culture and poking fun at sexual harassment.
It isn’t exactly rocket science to see why Barstool Sports is such a horrific and astounding company when the CEO and founder is known for his offensive and raunchy humor. Specifically, a day before the launch of Dave Portnoy’s first and only episode of his ESPN show “Barstool Van Talk,” the host of “Sunday N.F.L. Countdown” Sam Ponder tweeted “Welcome to the ESPN family” with screenshots of Portnoy saying her “job’s ‘#1 requirement’ was to 'make men hard.'" Shortly after, audio from a Barstool show surfaced in which Portnoy told Ponder to be more “slutty.” Ultimately, this led to revealing that Barstool Sports "makes a business out of harassing women."
When it comes down to it, this should not and does not belong on college campuses. Barstool is known for having specific accounts for different colleges all the way from New York University to the University of South Carolina, showing off the absolute toxicity of party culture in relation to campuses. The Barstool website averages 460,000 views per day with content featuring drug use, alcohol overdose, purposeful recklessness and sexual harassment in the name of entertainment.
Not only do sites and accounts like this discount the actual harm that is being done to these people, but it desensitizes others into thinking this way of acting is okay, or even normal.
Barstool only ever shows women wanting to be being sexual creatures for men to ogle at or make fun of, and the men are shown being monstrous and careless things for people to point and laugh at, but in an age where social media can make or break you, this account could "cost people their jobs."
From corporate workers to individual postings, Barstool Sports acts as a snake trying to squeeze the life out of any and all content college students are willing to give — even if that means exploiting unsafe and disrespectful students.