What may seem like an innocent way to poke fun at strangers can be anything harmless, both victims and experts agree.

During his first semester at Bow Valley College, a friend of Hriday Sharma sent him a screenshot of a post on a college confession page. Although it didn’t include his name, the description of his appearance, program and where he was usually seen made him certain it was about him. 

“I started wondering whether people on campus had figured out the confession was about me,” said Sharma, pursuing his Diploma in Finance.

“I became more aware of people looking at me.” 

For several weeks, he found himself looking at the people around him, wondering whether the anonymous author was someone he passed every day. 

Although the confession wasn’t insulting, he said it crossed a personal boundary. 

“I just didn’t like having my personal life become something people could speculate about,” he said.

At the time, Sharma chose not to report the post to the school, because he didn’t believe it violated any rules. Instead, support from friends helped him move on. 

Now, nearly a year later, Sharma wishes that the person had spoken to him directly. 

“I wish the person had either kept their feelings private or spoken to me in person,” he said.

Experts say anonymity can build connections but also create harm 

Jordan Kidney, a professor at Mount Royal University, said anonymous online spaces are neither inherently good nor bad. Instead, he believes the people using them and the communities surrounding them determine whether they foster connection or cause harm. 

“Technology creates the opportunity, but people shape the outcome,” Kidney said. 

He said that on one hand, anonymity can encourage honest conversations by giving people a space to discuss mental health, discrimination or personal struggles without fear of judgment.  

At the same time, it can reduce accountability and make it easier for people to forget there is another person behind the screen. 

“When people do not see the person receiving their words, they may treat the interaction as content rather than communication,” Kidney said. 

Confession pages can reflect both the strengths and weaknesses of a campus community. While they sometimes celebrate acts of kindness or provide an outlet for students who are afraid to speak publicly, they can also normalize personal attacks if moderators allow harmful content to remain online. 

“The challenge is deciding how to listen without treating every anonymous claim as a verified fact,” he said. 

Author, speaker and coach Trena Laine, whose work focuses on grief, loss, mental health, entrepreneurship and burnout, said that Sharma’s instinct to turn to his support system was a strong choice.

“If you can’t process it alone, you need to share how you feel with someone,” Laine said. 

Students should take regular breaks from social media, surround themselves with supportive communities and seek professional help if anonymous posts begin affecting their sleep, anxiety or daily lives, according to Laine.

“If you find yourself losing sleep, talking to someone immediately is the right thing you can do for yourself,” Laine said. 

For Sharma, the discomfort eventually faded, but it changed how he thinks about anonymous confessions. 

“Ask yourself whether you’re doing it for them or for yourself,” he said.

“Even if your intentions are good, putting someone in the spotlight without their consent can make them uncomfortable.” 

He hopes his story will help students choose direct, respectful conversations over anonymous posts. 

“Anonymous posts can seem harmless, but they can still affect someone’s privacy and make them feel exposed,” Sharma said.