Sorority pledges tormented on Facebook
 

I didn't see this posted yet, so here is a video of Meridith Viera on the Today show with a story of Sorority pledges in the southeast, being stalked by someone on Facebook who claims to be an older active and who knows way too much about them.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...69828#40469828

I had heard about this earlier in the semester. I got a memo about it either from the NPC or AOII (can't remember!). I hate that the young lady left FSU and KD. However, this is another life lesson, not to have your profiles open to the world!

I love the voice over on the video that says, "Seemed like 'normal hazing'."
Nice!

If it were me I would have gone to someone in the chapter and asked what the fuck was going on...I wish she had so someone could have assured her this wasn't real. I don't blame her for being freaked out beyond all reason, but yeah, as they say, this is a good reminder to NOT leave your profile public. I'm also glad she went to the police as soon as she put two and two together. But the stuff they talk about...knowing when meetings were, how far her house was from the KD house, inner workings of the sorority...so much of that can be found out with Google and Mapquest if the person spends enough time on FB gathering information.

And yeah..."normal hazing". REALLY?

Are these all schools that list their new members publicly? I'm just wondering why they would be targeted.

If the chapters have facebook groups that aren't 100% private, they could find them that way...the creepy part is how much the stalker digs up, though. I have no doubt it's all information that can be found through google/facebook/myspace but that's still a LOT of digging to do. It's obviously someone committed to their stalkerdom.

I don't believe FSU lists new members. Auburn and Alabama do. However, I would think if you have an open profile anyone, anywhere can find you and read that you just pledged XYZ sorority. So, it would take some serious Facebook stalking but it is totally doable. I guess this creep has lots of time to FB stalk!

I don't think it takes that much time at all. One new member with an open profile tags her pledge sisters in a bid day or party photo. One click on the tagged names and you are on another new member's page. And on and on. Requires virtually no detective skills whatsoever.

It's all in the tagging.

Agree that bottom line is profiles should be private. Also, if something seems fishy then go with your gut instinct because it probably is.

The original thread about this was posted in mid-September. The Today show is a little late on this one, I'd say...

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=115928

It's the personal details that are the creepiest, and that would take some time, but if profiles were private, the creeper would probably move on to an easier target.

I highly recommend anyone with a facebook use the ultimate privacy settings. If you search my name you'll only see my picture and an option to friend me. I don't even allow messages from those not on my friends list. Nothing on the internet is 100% safe, but if a burglar has a choice between the house with an alarm system and locked door or the house with no lock and no intruder alert, who is he going to pick?

I wonder what route this guy will go next once all the sorority girls have been warned?

I'm glad they didn't quit...I hate that some of these girls missed out on being Greek.

fsu does not list new members.

It can all be reasonably safe with the right precautions. IIRC my organization specifies what can be used for official communications, and I'm not sure even plain old email is listed. It is extremely handy, though, for times when events change or are relocated. I remember it being a huge time saver for officers when intramural games got moved, for instance, and more people were likely to show up than if they were emailed.

However chapters should be very careful to make their groups totally private. That way, the member list and any other such info is hidden unless you are approved to join.

There's certainly enough information on Greekchat alone to help someone understand how sorority life, recruitment and pledging works (especially at the big SEC schools mentioned in that story.) We've had our fair share of Creepy McCreepertons here that we know about, much less those who lurk. One person in particular really raises the hair on the back of my neck but seems to fly under the radar for most people who continue to engage him in conversation.

This post is useless without examples.

I've previously called the person out in public posts. It's not that hard to figure out.

I'll PM you.

Hell, I want to know, too! I hope it's not me lol

Thank you for the link to the Today Show clip. My friend (who is an FSU alum) called me last night and told me, "Some group called ** at Florida State is making their pledges put nude pictures up on Facebook!" :eek: I love her dearly, but she is anti-greek and doesn't care how much money or many hours GLO's contribute to worthy causes or wonderful people are members, they are the root of all evil. Now, pardon me (and most of my family) while I go sharpen my pitchfork.

I want a PM! :D

exactly!

I'm a little late to the party on this, but when I read this story after our president sent out an alert, I had to marvel as to how gullible these girls were. I know the idea of being groomed for a leadership position can sound tempting, but how did this go on for as long as it did? You would think that one of them would mention it to their New Member Educator or something, or at least bring up the name of the "sister" this creep pretended to be. What happened is creepy and scary, but I think I'm more disturbed at how easily the girls at FSU went along with it.

He's been arrested:

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-b...111674219.html

Thank god for that. I hope he gets a very strict punishment!