Imperial Online: the Rise and Fall of the Pages Filling Our News Feeds
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felixonline.co.uk @felixImperial /FelixImperial [email protected] Keeping the cat free since 1949 issue 1594 January 23rd 2015 The world that’s hidden from view Inside... ICSM Boat club suspended after tour Arts: the Hidden issue pages 32 to 39 Imperial News 4 Women’s Rugby to online: headline Varsity 2015 the rise and fall 3 News The disappearance of the and return of page 3 pages filling Comment 12 Is the sixth mass Includes: jihad orgies, extinction coming? our news College investigations feeds and the page admins from hell News: pages 8, 9 and 10 Science 15 2 23.01.2015 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX This week’s issue... [email protected] Felix Editor Philippa Skett EDITORIAL TEAM CONTENTS Editor-In-Chief Thinking about the PHILIPPA SKETT News 3–9 Deputy Editor PHILIP KENT Comment 11–14 students behind the screen Treasurer THOMAS LIM Science 15–16 Technical Hero Tech 17–18 LUKE GRANGER-BROWN his week we are doing an Imperial seemingly powerless to THIS WEEK’S EDITORIAL News Editors Film 19-21 analysis on the rising trend intervene, these pages are almost a CAROL ANN CHEAH Tof Facebook pages ran by ticking time bomb. With admins KUNAL WAGLE Television 27 Imperial students, that are gaining changing as people graduate, and a lot of traction again as people are passed over to this board of senior some pages taking content from Comment Editor Music 28–29 sitting January exams and therefore staff that deal with disciplinary anyone through those Google TESSA DAVEY also spending a lot of time on procedures and are also there to keep submission forms, one pressed button Technology Editors Arts 30–37 Facebook. the welfare of the student body in or poorly worded message can reach JAMIE DUTTON With pages amassing thousands of check. the corners of campus in a matter of OSAMA AWARA Games 38 likes at a time, and individual posts Students are joining these pages minutes, including the student it may being liked and shared too, and then because of the sense of community be about. Science Editors LAUREN RATCLIFFE Food 39 throwing in the fact that students are they emulate, not just for the joke If people are joining a page because JAMES BEZER talking about the page and showing posts and the humour. They join they are using the Imperial name to Welfare 40 it to their friends, the cumulative because they see a page named after draw that large audience in, Imperial Games Editors reach of these pages in total, all things their university, and, as a student should also be intervening when MAX EGGL Travel 42-43 considered, can be quite vast. body that is often criticised as being students come to them for help over CALUM SKENE One of the pages we investigated fractured and divided, enjoy these the posts. It’s all well and good to have Arts Editors Hangman 44–45 this week is Imperial Tell Someone online windows that capture the ethos these policies, but when College is FRED FYLES Something, a page that is no longer of Imperial so succinctly. aware of the pages and they are still KAMIL McCLELLAND Puzzles 46–47 active and was shut down last Liking it takes no effort at all, and posting defamatory posts and even academic year, after the admin was suddenly any post from that page is attacking students, College is failing Music Editors GRACE RAHMAN Sport 48 reported to the College Tutors. This catapulted straight to their timelines. in keeping their students safe. AMNA ASKARI page was especially slanderous, with Despite College offering all of For now though, there seems to the admin also being particularly vile their policies on IT, branding and be nothing more threatening than Television Editors to students voicing their complaints image use, in their responses to our students attempting to organise a GIULIA GABRIELLI and refusing to take posts down that questions this week, in practise no distasteful orgy, along with some JOHN PARK were mentioning their name if the page has ever been shut down or any pretty dodgy science chat-up lines. Film Editors admin thought the offensive posts action taken against students running Enjoy them, even post to them ELLEN MATHIESON were justified. these high-profile platforms. And if you like, but remember that JACK STEADMAN Both the admin and the page we are not saying they should; most anonymity can make people feel JOHN PARK was reported to both ICT and the pages and their posts are amicable even more alone and compound Books Editor College Tutors, and although College and are not a cause for concern at all. that feeling of being targeted. People DIANA LUCACI Communications could not discuss However some posts tread a thin may be more brazen on one side individual cases to us, as far as we line, and with such a large audience of the screen, but they are equally Fashion Editor are aware, nothing was done to the and seemingly no consequences more vulnerable when on the other, CECILE BORKHATARIA individual despite his full name for what is posted and when, and receiving side. Food Editors CAROL ANN CHEAH Coffee Break Editors TESSA DAVEY Fancy finding out how we write news? ELLEN MATHIESON Travel Editor It’s not just scrolling through facebook YUNG NAM CHEAH Hangman Editor looking for orgy posts, we promise. AN ANGRY COACH DRIVER Welfare Editors DIBA ESBATI Felix News Reporter Workshop CHANON WONGSATAYANONT Clubs and Societies Editor Monday 26th January BEN HOWITT Sport Editor Meeting Room 3, Union Building KUNAL WAGLE 12.30pm until 1.30pm COPY EDIT TEAM Copy Chiefs SKETT’S BOX OF SHAME STEPHEN BALL Attendance is free and snacks are ELLEN MATHIESON We accidently attributed an article provided. Copy Editors to another author, when in fact ANNINA SARTOR TOM RIVLIN Kunal Wagle wrote the piece last BEN HOWITT week “All change come election Felix, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, Printed by Iliffee Print Cambridge, Winship Road, JUNE GAN time.” London SW7 2BB Cambridge. MICHAEL FAGGETTER Email: [email protected] Registered newspaper ISSN 1040-0711 MATTIN MIR-TAHMASEBI JASPER MENKUS Tel: 020 7594 8072 CECILY JOHNSON Front image credits: Thomas Lim Copyright © Felix ABBY GOLDBLATT FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 23.01.2015 3 News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle A Capella comes to Imperial The semi-finals of the ICCA’s will be held this Saturday at Imperial BEN HOWITT previously competed in local and NEWS REPORTER national A Cappella competitions. There are five other teams attending. “The fact that we’re hosting has he semi-finals of the given everyone a massive boost, International Championship compared to what we had at Voice Tof Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Festival... it’s nice to have the home will be held this Saturday at Imperial advantage, you’ve got the home College. The competition is presented crowd. I think that will go a very long by Varsity Vocals, in conjunction way in the results. I mean, who knows with the Union’s A Cappella Society, what group, if any, will win.” which is also sending three groups to Following the competition, the compete against a range of University winning group will go on to compete The Techtonics are just one of three Imperial groups competing on Saturday Photo: The Techtonics A Cappella groups from around the in the Final at New York’s Beacon UK. Theatre in April. They will follow it before, I requested paper tickets... been sold, with confirmed attendees Conferences team for their continued Felix spoke to Henry Harrod, the in the footsteps of Birmingham it’s been good having a lot of them at including Tom Wheeler, Imperial support. A Cappella Chair, about the progress University’s Sons of Pitches, who the list price”. College Union President, and Richard “It’s going to be a very exciting of the competition: “Ever since the won the International video round Despite the discussions surrounding Dickins, Imperial College’s Director time; there are going to be a lot New Year came around, suddenly it in 2013. The group has since released ticket pricing, and some crossed lines of Music, in addition to Varsity of emotions riding on the night, dawned on all the groups just how their debut EP, Not Too Shabby, and regarding whether the event should Vocals senior management. Based regardless of what happens... it will quickly it was [coming up] ... that we will be MC’ing the event and giving a be an external or internal event, with on the tickets sold so far, more than literally be a real life Pitch Perfect.” have actually quite a lot of pressure to guest performance. the system described as “completely half of those attending will likely be Tickets cost £15 for students and advertise it.” “The excitement’s definitely arbitrary”, all the rooms are booked. Imperial students. £20 for adults. Tickets can be bought The groups competing are The building. There’s been a kind of... The event begins at 19:30 tomorrow Henry wanted to pass on his online, or you could buy a physical Techtonics (all male), Imperielles (all issue surrounding the ticket pricing... evening (24th January) in the Great thanks to the Sabbatical Officers ticket today at 13:00 in the JCR. female) and The Scopes (mixed), all there are quite a few extra charges. Hall. and the Union staff for their help in There will also be tickets on sale at of whom perform regularly and have Having chatted to people who’d done More than 400 tickets have already putting the event together, and the the door.