<p>I'm applying to Harvard EA. Three days ago, I found someone impersonating me on myspace (I know they are actually impersonating me because they used my full name, including middle name, and my middle name is unique. The profile also says they're a senior at my high school.) They haven't posted pictures or anything but some of their posts are inappropriate (not wildly inappropriate, but contain cuss words, etc.). I contacted myspace when I saw the profile but it's still up. It's the first result when you google my name (first and last or full; the combination of my first and last name is uncommon, but when you add the middle name it's unique, and both of them turn it up at the top). Should I be worried? No, I don't know who created it, so I don't know who to ask to take it down except myspace itself.</p>
<p>Yes, adcoms have been known to google and check facebook. You definitely need to get that page down. Have your parent contact them if they are unresponsive to you. Hoping you won’t need need legal help…but you may (can justify removing the page by using new anti-bullying laws?).</p>
<p>What happens if I can’t get it down? I’m doing everything in my power to get it down, but what happens if I can’t? (Or if they’ve already seen it, since my application has been submitted for a while).</p>
<p>If you find out who it is you could take them to court, assuming it’s a state law. Two kids did that to an old principal who was at my high school two years ago and the Principal took both of them to court. Cause I would DEFINITELY be ****ed if I didn’t get in to a top school, like Harvard, because of someone impersonating me on Myspace or Facebook.</p>
<p>Problem is, if I don’t manage to get it down, I don’t know if they would tell me that I was rejected because of what they found on the search, so I could dispute it, or for something else. Do you think they would have searched me already?</p>
<p>Wait for someone to back me up here (since I’m a senior too, not exactly qualifies to consult on this) but maybe you should contact the school? Since there’s a chance they’ve seen it, I feel like it would do you some good to address it- they’ll realize that if it was actually you, you’d have the power to take it down yourself and would never call them about it. So it might be in your best interest to call Harvard and explain your concerns.</p>
<p>I would take every step to get it removed, incuding getting your parents involved. Don’t just send an email that will get lost in the fifo pile. Call. Be prepared to send them copies of your id (maybe notarized,) etc, to verify you are you.</p>
<p>But generally, despite what you hear, most adcoms are too freaking busy to go google kids. Sure, if you claim to be a world class something-or-other or winner of some prestgious award, they could conceivably check. On another thread, there was a suggestion coaches might check their likely athletes. That makes more sense. Take action, good luck. I dont think you need to alert the college to this, at this point. They’ll get thousands of apps, devote their energies to the ordinary, time consuming tasks of reviewing and selecting.</p>
<p>I didn’t want to get my parents involved (the posts are a little embarrassing, even though I didn’t post them), but I guess I will have to if it’s still up a day or two from now. If I get rejected for something this stupid…</p>
<p>Do other people think I should contact the schools (or at least Harvard since I’ve already applied there, and they started reviewing my app about a week before the deadline, so they might have had more time)? Wouldn’t I have to say more than “this is a fake profile”?</p>
<p>You won’t get rejected because of cussy posts. But, you may not get fast action if all you did was send an email to Myspace- did you call? And, I doubt they will take your word for it, w/o some back-up, a copy of your id. Have you talked with your GC? If he or she is any good, you can get some support there.</p>
<p>However many ED apps H gets, they aren’t going to go snooping into each kid’s public persona without some driving cause. Believe me, reviewing is a monstrous job in itself.</p>
<p>I think I can get it down in 2 days. (Not going to say why, but I have good reasons for thinking so). Do you think I’d be “safe” if I succeed, or do you think they would have already looked me up?</p>
<p>You should likely be safe at this point.</p>
<p>They most likely haven’t read your file yet, you should be fine. I do want to agree with Lookingforward, they don’t google everyone. It’s just becoming for common for them to check facebook and google if there’s something in the app. that stands out. I am so glad to hear that the page will come down though.</p>
<p>I see no downside in contacting Harvard to tell them about this.</p>
<p>Hunt- one downside is it draws attention to that problematic MySpace site. At this point, IMO, any attention you draw to yourself should be positive or, at least, not damaging- you won an extra award, have an issue with system status, have a question about interview schedules, etc. </p>
<p>Calling to say, well, if you google me, you’ll find a disturbing web site-? Better to run this by the GC, if still needed. Get that opinion, if needed.</p>
<p>OP says this is the first thing that comes up of you Google him. While I agree that taking it down is the most important, if the Harvard adcom is under thirty, he or she really might Google applicants.</p>
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Sounds like it might be the OP’s actual page (who had a fit of conscience).</p>
<p>Or that OP knows who actually put it up.</p>
<p>At our HS several years ago, two freshmen created a fake Facebook-type account for a 3rd friend/student as a prank. They were eventually arrested and charged with a felony hate crime, after friend’s parents loudly lobbied local suburban police to charge two 14 year-olds for using “N” word). All three came from wealthy households and were friends from elementary school. One student’s parents were sued in civil court for damages by victim-student’s parents, because page was created at their house, to collect against their homeowners insurance policy. Seems like overkill.</p>
<p>I recall reading posts (or articles) elsewhere that other students have flagged inappropriate Facebook/My Space posts to admissions offices, in attempt to derail other students’ applications.</p>
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<p>If it was, then why wouldn’t I have taken it down already? That makes no sense.</p>
<p>Yes, I found out who it is, and I won’t say any more than that but I’m confident that it’s going down.</p>
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<p>Do you feel the same way if the site has been taken down (well, I am pretty sure it will be down tomorrow)? Then I’d say something like “If you googled me and found this page, that wasn’t me”? I’m not sure how to phrase this, but do you think something like that’s still a good idea?</p>
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<p>I don’t think this will happen because the person who created this is not applying to any of the schools I am applying to, and as far as I know nobody at my school who is has found out about the fake profile, so I don’t foresee somebody flagging it.</p>