EDITORIAL - Sex scandals

A sex scandal has rocked Cebu, again. This time, the “scandal” reportedly involved students from reputable schools, identified because they were reportedly wearing their respective school uniforms (and even their IDs) while doing the deed, according to those who saw the video.

Already, the said video, which was uploaded to a social networking website, and was subsequently taken down, has caught the attention of a lot of people. Apparently, taking down the video was already too late since a lot have already seen it and some even downloaded it. Some people made jokes about the video, some condemned those involved, including the one who uploaded it. There are also those who defended those in the video. There are those who made calls for those who have a copy of the “scandal” to stop spreading it.

The parties involved, including their respective schools, which have been dragged into the controversy, have yet to issue statements. Thus, facts about the video and how it reached the hands of those who uploaded it online are a bit sketchy. We do not want to judge those involved and the one who uploaded it for everyone to see. We just want to raise some questions and point out realities.

First, if those involved in the “scandal” wanted their intimate relations to remain intimate, why then did they make a record of it? The high-profile sex scandal that involved celebrities should have already been a lesson not to make video recordings of such intimacies. Technology has made it very easy to share and yes, steal information, including videos, to almost anyone. Hard drives, cellphones, and even CD recordings can get stolen, uploaded to the Internet, which then makes it available for all.

Second, the act of uploading what was supposed to be an intimate act into a social networking site proves that the country really needs a law that will govern how people behave on the Internet. What was the purpose of uploading the video? What can be gained from uploading it? Many cried foul over the Anti-Cyber Crime Law, which led to the suspension of its implementation. However, this recent scandal has proven that we need a fine-tined version of that law if only to punish those who misbehave online, such as uploading sex videos.

Third, it is very unfortunate that the schools of those involved in the video are dragged into the controversy. Among the talks that reached us was that the girl in the video was expelled and still another was that she was made to undergo counseling. This should be a reminder to students that wherever they go, whatever they do, as long as they are wearing the school uniform or the school ID, they are bringing the name of the school with them.

Cebu has had its share of sex scandals in the past. There have been several females who have experienced shame and trauma because of such scandals. This latest scandal just proves that people still have not learned from the mistakes of the past.