Over a year ago, the Instagram account @cbadalmostfriday was founded by an unknown student(s) at Carlsbad High. The account quickly gained popularity for its weekly comical posts and continued posting until it was taken down at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
A play off of the well-known @almost.friday Instagram account, the account would collect weekly submissions of humorous photos from students at CHS of their friends or peers, and select a few to post every Thursday. As of Aug. 31, the account was recreated after getting taken down, debuting its first post for its now 1,000-plus following.
While the account was seemingly meant to be all fun and games, the posts could sometimes be quite mortifying for those featured. An anonymous source speaks on their experience getting posted on the original account.
“It was horrible,” the source said. “Everybody at school was laughing at me [after the post]. They would look down at their phones and then just point at me. I didn’t even know about it until everybody started showing me.”
Not only did they go through the experience of being taunted for the post, but frequently re-lived it. With the account being active for as long as it was, their post remained featured on the account as a continuous reminder to their peers.
“People were teasing me about it for months, it was so embarrassing,” the source said. “Eventually everybody kind of went past it, but every once in a while, it’ll get brought up to me again.”
The account encourages many people to joke about the posts, and even make cruel comments about the student subjects. While those who haven’t been posted on the account may not have the same experience as those who have, some comments made by these students raise concerns about cyberbullying.
“I hate it, obviously, because I think it’s an account to humiliate people,” the source said. “Honestly, I thought it was fine in the beginning because it wasn’t publicly embarrassing people. But as more people found out about the account, it started to get darker and turned into something that can really bully people.”
While some students featured on the account have negative opinions towards the page, others enjoy the comical side of the platform and the advantages of never being posted. Sophomore Juliana Yakuta explains her viewpoint on these benefits.
“I like to look at the posts but I don’t think I would ever submit one of my own,” Yakuta said. “It’s just not my place to do that, you know? Yes, it’s funny looking at the posts but I would feel guilty submitting anything.”
With the original account gaining an abundance of attention, it influenced other schools to follow the online trend. Now with local schools participating with their own pages, it adds to the concern of student privacy and negative digital footprints.
“Now there’s Sage Creek accounts and even San Marcos accounts,” the source stated. “It’s just getting really bad, especially considering that some people are posting some really inappropriate things on there.”
When student families and faculty discovered the Carlsbad account, the explicit content was especially apparent. CHS Principal Julia Redfield speaks on the concerns both parents and faculty have for those involved in the posts.
“There have been multiple reports,” Redfield said. “We’ve had parents that view [the account] and send us anonymous emails or phone calls, and have brought it not just to my attention but other adults on campus like administrators and counselors about what’s going on.”
While the creator(s) behind the account continue to remain anonymous, those involved in the posts can receive equal ramifications for defamation of character. With 97% of teens who become internet users by 2022, platforms such as Instagram have become larger targets for teens to fall victim to acts of persecution.
“If we knew who was doing it we would talk to the student,” Redfield said. “It’s considered cyberbullying and grounds for harassment. I am very concerned for people’s mental health and safety on campus, and if there’s people posting things about other students or staff members without being asked permission, that’s not okay.”
Before becoming the subject of Almost Friday posts, some publicized students enjoyed the amusement that came with the account but had a change of heart after their experience. With many students at CHS lacking the perspective of those who were posted, one featured teen brings awareness to the rising concern.
“I used to think it was kind of funny as long as they weren’t humiliating other people,” the source stated. “But after I was posted it completely changed my mind. It’s funny until you’re on it.”
