[Public] Journal Entry: Jake Jensen

[om_backlash]

We have something to tell everyone and we're sorry for not saying it until now. Jensen found out by accident a while ago and would have told you all sooner, but Tessa bought his silence with blackmail. There is no other way to put it.

Up until she left the school, Tessa had been monitoring all of the students. Every email and IM, every Google search, every saved document… You name it; she’s probably been reading it.

This might not matter to some of you. Maybe you already knew, or maybe you’re glad someone was watching. And that’s fine. But, it matters to us. We know Tessa meant well. We know she had good reasons for doing it, but, to us, that doesn’t make it any less of an invasion of privacy. Or a betrayal of the students’ trust. There was no discussion or agreement about monitoring the students. She wasn’t elected to this position. She just took it upon herself to do it.

We're not telling everyone this because we want them to pick up their pitchforks and go all angry mob on Tessa. We get why she monitored the students. We don’t agree with how she went about doing it, but we totally get it. The world we live in is dangerous and we need to be careful. The reason we're telling everyone is just because we feel like they deserve to know. That’s all.

In that same spirit, you should all know that Barbara, who is now in charge of the school's e-security, is not taking the same measures.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. We’ll try to answer any questions if you have any.

- Jensen and Simon B.

Comments

[om_quicksilver]

I honestly thought everyone kind of took this for granted and now I feel weird that I didn't even realize. V. concerned about this blackmail issue tho?

[om_vector]

Remember that time you had to come to our room last year?

That was right after it happened, if that gives you an idea.

[om_ghost]

I really thought everyone knew that Tessa was watching everything. As far as I know, she only did anything about it to protect people.

I find it hard to believe that Tessa actually blackmailed anyone? Or at least I can't imagine she intended it that way.

[om_backlash]

Like we said, we understand why she did it and we know she meant well, but that still doesn't make it okay.

It was blackmail. There's no other word for it. No matter what the intent behind it was or however it might be justified, her actions qualify as blackmail.

[om_vector]

We have new people all the time. There's no way everyone could know unless she publicly stated it or contacted everyone personally.

And she did blackmail. I have spoken with her personally about it last year when it happened. She also knows they're posting this.

I'm not trying to be harsh- I don't personally care for her, she fucked with someone I care about, and that's an automatic black mark for me. However, I do think Tessa is a generally good person, and had good reasons for doing it, but it doesn't erase how she did it.

[om_agent]

Before this gets completely out of control, as these things frequently do in this situation, I would suggest getting all the facts first. That Tessa was keeping an eye on everything isn't a surprise. Motivations for actions are, however, important and easy to misconstrue.

I'm not saying that these issues aren't concerning. I'm suggesting getting all the facts from those willing to share them first.

[om_chroma]

We have talked to Tessa. We know and understand her motivations, but the facts remain. She wasn't 'keeping an eye on everything', she was monitoring every student communication, and not all of them knew that. Not all of them (us) knew her well enough to assume that she would be doing so. Not all of them (us) would be as unsurprised. If they (we) were going to be, there would have been no need for blackmail.

What we take issue with is the secrecy, and what it engendered.

[om_vector]

It's a surprise to some people. I didn't know (at the time- I've known for a year, and kept quiet to protect Jensen.) A lot of people don't know. She has good motivations, but a lot of people don't know, and they have a right to privacy, or at least a right to know that their privacy is being infringed on.

And they did get the facts - they've talked to Tessa several times, I've talked to Tessa last year. Tessa knows they're posting this, practically told them to go ahead and do it.

On a personal note, it's pretty goddamn shitty to publicly suggest that a victim of blackmail misconstrued it before you have all the facts.

[om_magik]

I don't believe this conversation. I mean, I don't know Tessa. I don't know any of the people involved in this. But...it sounds a Lot like "Okay, Tessa was blackmailing someone not to tell that she was Snooping through everyone's e-mails, but that's Okay! Because she meant well!"

My old school, you had to sign a thing that said you knew that the school had the right to read everything that went through their system. I don't remember anyone handing me that here - just a phone and an e-mail account. And even if they had? Blackmail is NOT okay, whether she did nice things for someone else or not!

[om_quicksilver]

Presented without any other judgement: This is like the smartest comment on this whole entry.

(laughing forever bc this is basically the plot of cap 2)

[om_patriot]

Unfortunately, whether or not Tessa acted with good intentions, it doesn't erase the fact that what she did was illegal, and a violation of each student's personal liberties. People have a right to personal freedom, and a right to privacy. We should not be expected to give up those freedoms out of fear, and they certainly should not be taken them from us without our knowledge. It is immoral, unethical, and unjust.

What is personally disgusting to me is the power imbalance in place here. For the sake of argument, let's say that Tessa did have some sort of informed consent in place. This is the only place in the world, to our knowledge, that a group of marginalized children can go to learn how to harness their abilities, be among their peers, and be safe from those who would do them harm. We've all seen a young girl murdered on national television just for being what we are. Consent under coercion or because a child (or anyone) feels as though they have no other choice is not consent.

Another point is what this opens us up to. We are at a pivotal moment in history, and our actions will shape the lives of mutantkind for years to come. We have an duty to those who come after us to do this right. Now, think about how the American public responded to news of the NSA's spying. Think of the outrage.

Now, think what would happen if it became public that a mutant was doing this type of thing. It would be what happened there, paired with trepidation towards mutants. I don't think I'm being extreme in suggesting that, if the government finds out about this, Tessa may have damned us all.

Not to mention herself. In the state of New York, I believe a single case type of spying Tessa did is punishable with up to 4 years. I don't know if it would possibly be more considering with the number of minors involved, or with the wide scope in which it was done. I don't think it's unlikely that Tessa would be looking at a lifetime in prison. I think it goes without saying that she won't be of much use to us behind bars.

I cannot believe the complacency being expressed in these responses. It's disappointing and disheartening that we are all so eager to give up our freedoms.

Additionally, I cannot believe there is even a discussion on whether or not blackmail of a minor is acceptable. Blackmail is never acceptable. Blackmail of a minor is sickening.

I personally will no longer be using my personal computer within the school network, or my phone for other than personal communication, and I'm only accepting that because it is a necessity. I have nothing to hide beyond some mildly embarrassing personal information, but I refuse to be a part in this.

Re: (laughing forever bc this is basically the plot of cap 2)

[om_ghost]

Steven, since the "complacency" you mention in the comments here seems to be really only Philip and I, I thought I ought to respond even though I'd decided not to say any more.

May I suggest, in the spirit of fair play, that we have only the word of three (as you suggest, appropriately) outraged students that what Tessa did was, in fact, blackmail. I certainly respect Jensen's privacy in not revealing the details -- as I would not want my own situation revealed -- but Tessa is choosing not to engage rather than give her view of the events.

All I ask that you, and everyone else, consider is that what Jensen, Shaun and Simon call "blackmail" could have a very different name when seen from another side, and that name could well be "protecting someone you care about." Which is exactly what these boys are trying to do, too? Why is more noble for Shaun to protect Jensen than for Tessa to protect someone she is fond of in the best way she knows how?

I don't intend to attack or defend anyone, since I'm far from a fair and neutral party, but can we really fairly judge someone from only one perspective?

[om_mimic]

I'm on the side of what the everloving fuck, here. Privacy is a thing. Blackmail is a thing. Protecting people is also totally a thing, but just because we all carry a special gene doesn't mean that the protecting bit should matter more than the other things.

Just out of curiosity, do we know when exactly our stuff stopped being monitored? Totally selfishly, I'd wanna know if it was before or after I came here, and I have no clue who Tessa is other than 'a former student', or when she left the school.

[om_magik]

Yes! That!!! And Cal isn't the only one with those questions - I want to know too!

[om_spiderman]

I can’t believe these conversations are really happening. Intent doesn’t matter. If you do something wrong, but didn’t mean to it’s still wrong. I can step on someone’s toe by accident, or say the wrong thing, but I owe them an apology because, whether it was intentional or not, I still hurt them.

tw: discussion of physical/verbal abuse

[om_backlash]

Fuck it.

My dad physically and verbally abused me. My dad physically and verbally abused me every fucking day of my life up until the day he broke my arm and kicked me out. He would deny me basic care like food, medical treatment, and weather-appropriate clothing. He fucking hit me daily and said shit to me that no one should ever have to hear.

Before I had even talked to Tessa about her spying on students, she had gone through my medical records with the intent of using it all against me. There was no reason to publish it. I was safely out of my home and my dad has never laid so much as a finger on my sister. She told me she would tell the authorities if I said anything about her spying because she knew it would shut me up. I never told anyone to keep my sister safe and out of foster care and she was ready to say fuck all that to keep her fucking secret a secret.

I hope that’s fucking serious enough for you for it to constitute as legitimate blackmail since apparently that’s the kind of thing that’s on a fucking sliding scale.

And fuck you guys for saying I was making it up or exaggerating and making me feel like I had to fucking prove myself to you.

Re: tw: discussion of physical/verbal abuse

[om_magik]

*hugs*

[om_ghost]

So that I understand as clearly as possible: the "you guys" in "fuck you guys" would be myself and Philip, being the only two who posted comments which questioned the situation in the time before you posted this?

Re: tw: discussion of physical/verbal abuse

[om_janus]

I'm sorry that the comments and shit put you in a position that you felt the need to disclose these personal details.

I'm around if you want to talk. I understand completely, if she used the stuff that I know have to presume she knows about me like that? Shit, I don't even know what I'd do.

You did the right thing letting everyone know. For what it's worth, I don't doubt you and never did/would.

[om_captain]

I hate to wade into something like this, but...

Tessa wasn't policing anything, and the security she provided was unparalleled. It's better than the alternative.

[om_hawkeye]

This thing is hell to read and I'm letting my little speech to text thing post this for me but here it goes. I gotta say that you guys are a barrel of laughs if you think there's such a thing as privacy because they are all out to get you. Governments been watching you from day one and I bet they don't care about firewalls or shit like that either. Okay maybe thats an exaggeration but if this chick or whoever is she hot? Was helping people then maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. The blackmail part is ******* stupid though cause what was she gonna do tell the authorities and do the right thing? You're an idiot for leaving your sister with those sick *****. You aren't keeping your sister safe you're just telling yourself lies. How the **** do I turn this ******* filter off. ****.

[om_vector]

Yeah, go fuck yourself, buddy.

[om_backlash]

Excuse me? Who the fuck do you think you are? You don’t know me. You don’t know a fucking thing about me, my sister, or my parents. I did the right thing and I would never do anything to put my little sister in danger. She’s safe and she’s loved and that is the only fucking reason I never turned my dad in. The foster system is fucked and I refuse to subject her to that if there are better options.

It’s real fucking easy to sit there and judge when you weren’t in the situation I was in. Fucking choke on it, asshole.

[om_superboy]

Wow dude, that's fucked up. I mean, all she had to do was tell people--like would anyone really act any differently if she had? We all know we're being watched all the time and we still watch freaky porn on the net.

Not that I do that. But just saying.

[om_aurora]

I think I suspected about the monitoring, but many of you make very good points: it wasn't right to try and keep it a secret. It's good for people to know, if it's happening.

I am sad and shocked to hear about the blackmail, Jensen. It's a very shameful exploitation of what you have been through--much of which I understand all too well--and I'm sorry for it.