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Facebook secret pages of universities in Hong Kong are public groups which share anonymous confession. Although they are called “secret” page, people can see the secrets after pressing the “follow” button of the pages. ‘Facebook secret pages’ do not mean pages published in private. The genuine meaning is Facebook users can share secrets on these pages. They began to show up early in 2013. Within a few months, the visiting population of the pages has increased sharply. The most popular secret pages are all based around the best known universities listed below. People can send some messages and opinions which they want to share to the administrators of the page privately. Then the administrators will post the secrets on the pages without exposing the identity of the writers.

Secret page of each best known university in Hong Kong
• University of Hong Kong (HKU Secrets) • Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Secrets) • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST Secrets) • City University of Hong Kong (CityU Secrets) • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU Secrets) • Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU Secrets) • Lingnan University (LingU Secrets) • The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK Secrets) • The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd Secrets) • Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU Secrets)

Advantages
The advantages of 'Secrets' pages are aplenty. The fact that posts are anonymous encourages students to raise any interesting, sensitive or controversial topics on a public platform , without the fear of being judged or scrutinized. More people can participate, and it allows more people to not feel shy about the topics they relate to. It promotes freedom of speech and protects a person's privacy, while reducing their self-consciousness. In anonymity, people also tend to be more kind and generous, praising writers and thanking them.

In addition, it also serves as a confession page for shy secret admirers to post about their crush. On some occasions, it is also a good place to report 'lost and found' items in the school, given the popularity of the page. In general, most of the posters provide entertainment for the students as they speculate about the identity of the poster in addition to reading the interesting content of the posts.

Disadvantages
Although Facebook secret page is a user-friendly platform which allows students to express their point of view freely, there are some disadvantages too. Accessing this online tool, students type their true feelings in a passive way. ‘Technology cannot replace face to face communication as intimacy will be absent.’ Eric Wong, one of the most influential businessman and writer in Hong Kong said. Without direct communication, they may become more and more timid if they rely too much on Facebook secret page for voicing out their opinion. ‘When you put off something which you should do right now, you are a weak person.’ Bill Gates said. It is believed that being courageous is one of the crucial elements to be successful. For instance, when we think of some innovative ideas in workplace, we have to propose them bravely to our colleagues and boss. Therefore, it is essential to cultivate the habit of communicating directly since childhood and not to access secret page too often.

The secret page can be a curse on university reputation. In the pages, students used to bad mouth the board, teachers, campus and other students. They complain in an impolite way like using foul language. When all these are visible to public, the outsiders not only can judge the maturity of the university system, but also the quality of the students, including their language skill and critical thinking skill. The image of the institutes will be harmed. If the confessors post some negative comments on teachers or students, it can damage the reputation and self –esteem of them as well. A more serious issue is the degree of the credibility of the posts. It is not possible for the page admins to filter all the unreliable posts. What’s more is that the confessors are not necessarily be the students in university. They may post some rumours which can harm the school reputation on the secret page without bearing any responsibility.

Proper Use
It seems that the secret page is a doubled-edged sword. So how to use it properly is essential. Although the secret page is convenient, we still need to learn how to communicate with others face to face. Social skills are important all the time. In addition, if you are a student in university, you can use secret pages to propose your ideas and suggestions. But always keep a a positive attitude. Do not only condemn school or blindly vent your dissatisfaction. What is more, no matter if you are a college student, it is your responsibility to respect others' rights. You should be conscious to obey laws and the moral rules. When you express yourself freely, you should not insult others or tell lies to cheat others. You should not make fake information to excite people's panic. You should not be malicious to others. Let's work together to make the secret page a positive platform, so that we can solve problems, promote communication, build mutual trust and improve the degree of social harmony.