User:Birches123/sandbox

Facebook Secret Pages are the different pages opened on Facebook by different administrators for other subscribers to use links directed from other websites (e.g. Google) to upload photos or post anonymous messages, next, the administrators who manage the Secret Pages post these anonymous messages publicly onto the platform of discussion after receiving the anonymous messages. The rising trend of Facebook Secret Pages (2012 - present) in Hong Kong is the new dominant platform of Internet forums. Facebook Secret Pages is a platform mainly for adolescents to share their “secrets” among their community, mostly in Secondary School or in University.

History
The founder of the first most popular Secret Page, 名校 Secrets, is an anonymous administrator. The page was founded in 2017 with an IP address located in the USA created this platform for discussion. The trend grew when some universities in Hong Kong started to adopt this idea for discussion among their community. The rising trend has been acknowledged by different communities as well, varying from different Secondary schools to companies, there are also Facebook Secret Pages which possess the names of some large corporations, i.e. Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.

These Secret Pages on Facebook discuss about personal problems, as well as problems faced in their community, such as relationship problems, family conflicts, friendship difficulties, etc. This platform of anonymity communication has grown popular because the people who submit messages and responses are responsibility-free.

Operation
For the anonymous secret sharers, go to the “about” page of the target facebook secret page, click the hyperlink for secret submission in the description. In the secret submission page, the secret sharer can write down the secret they want to share. They can also upload photos or images for that secret. It can be anonymous but the secret sharer has to state where he/she is from. For example, for the schools secret page, the secret sharers have to state which school they are from.

For the page administrators, they collect the pending secrets in the secret submission platform (mostly Google document). After reviewing the secret, they will post the secret on the secret page.

Causes
Secret page is created as a platform for people to express their feeling towards the party that they belong to or discuss about social affairs. Secret pages have become popular because people can say anything freely without being identified publicly and without having to abide to the law. Hence, when students are facing stress, they can release their pressure by expressing their feelings and views on the secret pages with an anonymously. People do not need to bear responsibilities for their speech and their criticisms, they can say anything they want, the large extent of freedom of speech on secret pages shows the reason why it is appealing to them and it has explained its growing trend today in Hong Kong. Moreover, secret pages are also used as a channel to exchange information and secrets among people in the same communities or even, cross platforms from other communities. Knowing the secrets from different circles allow them to acknowledge the other side of the story. Before the existence of this trend, people from different social circles are barriers to exchange information. However after the birth of secret pages, people have a deeper understanding of the society today. Therefore secret page started to become a hot issue among the youngsters gradually.

Individual impact
Facebook secret page provides a new platform for everyone to express their own opinion anonymously. Secret page is a place where people can release stress through sharing gossip and making criticism. Because of curiosity, people especially adolescents are usually following these pages as a way to relax and entertain.

Social impact
From schools to various jobs, secret pages are popular among every Facebook users. As a typical example of secret page, schools secret changed the ways that youngsters express their views. Since students can share everything about gossip, love or criticism anonymously, secret page became a new place for communication. Meanwhile, schools reputation may affected by those pages which is posted negative comments to schools. Similarly, other secret pages about Hongkongers and industries emerge in the same way.

In July 2014, a book "名校Secrets 血淚史" about schools secret which collected different articles from Facebook secret page published in Hong Kong.

Secret pages by interests or professions

 * 巴士迷Secrets (Bus-lovers’ Secrets)
 * 廣播道Secrets (Commercial radio’s Secrets)
 * 廣告人Secrets (Advertisers’ Secrets)
 * 女社工Secrets (Female social workers’ Secrets)

Secret pages by universities and colleges

 * HKU Secrets
 * CUHK Secrets
 * HKUST Secrets
 * CityU Secrets
 * HKBU Secrets
 * Poly Secrets
 * LU Secrets
 * HKIEd Secrets
 * HKCC Secrets
 * IVE & HKDI Secrets
 * CCCU Secrets

Others

 * DSE Secrets
 * 香港人 Secrets (Hongkonger’s Secrets)
 * 家庭 Secrets (Family Secrets)
 * 戀愛 Secrets (Love Secrets)
 * 時事 Secrets (Social Issues Secrets)
 * 打工仔 Secrets (Workers’ Secrets)