Juicy Campus Shuts Down

By Broadside Correspondent Alex Crockett. Photo courtesy of flickr user foxypar4

JuicyCampus.com, the website that allows people to anonymously read and post gossip about their respective campuses, has officially shut down.

According to Matt Ivester, CEO and founder of the site, “difficult economic times” and a decrease in online ad revenue influenced the decision to shut down the website.

“JuicyCampus’ exponential growth outpaced our ability to muster the resources needed to survive this economic downturn, and as a result, we are closing down the site as of Feb. 5, 2009,” Ivester wrote on the site’s blog.

According to Ivester, the site stimulated “meaningful discussion about online privacy and internet censorship,” and provided “a place for the fun, lighthearted gossip of college life.” Others, however, have a very different view of the site.

“I read a lot of stuff written about specific people and Greek life that made me angry,” said freshman Kiara Holloman, an athletic training major, as well as a member of the Alpha Phi International Fraternity.

“I know everyone has a right to freedom of speech, but there's a point where you cross the line,” said Holloman.

According to Olivia Fivek, a freshman global affairs major, “It promotes cyber bullying. And the fact that it's anonymous gives cowards a place to say things that they're not man or woman enough to say yourself.”

“The first amendment has become this barrier for slander, and it's just appalling,” said Fivek.

Ivester only briefly mentioned this aspect of the site saying, “There are parts of Juicy Campus none of us will miss.”

Ivester also said that, as of right now, Juicy Campus has no plans to come back, “but who knows what the future might hold.”