A Facebook page that listed the names and rumored sexual activities of girls at various Long Island high schools has been shut down due to officials' concern about the growing phenomenon of cyberbullying. Alanna McDonald, a senior at Uniondale High School, said that the so-called "Nassau County's Nasty List" besmirched the reputations of students at a number of schools, Uniondale High among them. McDonald, who was not on the list, said she personally knew a young woman on the Nasty List, which said "very disrespectful things" about the girl.
In the aftermath of the suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, and cases like the one involving two Florida girls who created a fake Facebook page from which to cyberbully a former friend, authorities appear to be taking swifter action in policing the darker aspects of social media. Nassau County police visited Uniondale High on Friday and turned the case over to their computer-crimes unit, who may subpoena Facebook to find the author of the Nasty List. No charges have been filed yet, and school administrators say they have limited authority in punishing students for off-campus activity. Uniondale High states that they have a zero-tolerance policy regarding bullying and cyberbullying.
