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#TooMuch Twitter for Miami students

Kaila Frisone, For The Miami Student

Miami University students on Twitter are constantly informed of the creation of yet another Miami-related account.

@MiamiUMakeout tweeted for the first time Nov. 4, 2012. The account now has nearly 4,900 followers and more than 890 tweets.

"This account is for the best bar makeout pics at Miami University," the account's bio line said. "Share your public make out pics here or use the #MiamiUmakeout. Show em your stuff fellas."

Will, a junior who asked his first name only be included, has been in five photographs tweeted to @MiamiUMakeout.

"At first, I was mad about it because I felt like it was an invasion of privacy," Will said. "But now, since it is with the girl I'm dating, I don't really care because I have nothing to hide with her."

Junior Quinton Cook stopped following @MiamiUMakeout because he said it got old.

"It wasn't really my thing to see swapping tongue," Cook said.

According to senior Melissa Danubio, @MiamiUMakeout has even influenced people's behavior when they go out.

"Now everyone's first reaction when they see people kissing at a party or in a bar is to snap a picture," Danubio said. "It's changed how many of my friends feel about PDA (public displays of affection)."

Danubio also said some people go out with a mission to make it in one of the tweeted pictures.

University social media specialist, Kelly Bennett, said these accounts do not shine a positive light on the university.

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"There's not a whole lot we can do about them unless they're using our logos or tying themselves publicly to us," Bennett said.

She said Miami's legal counsel is currently dealing with these trademark issues.

Another Miami related account that began March 13 is @MiamiConfession. People can send in anonymous confessions to the link provided on their Twitter account profile. This account has more than 3,800 followers and more than 950 tweets.

The confessions are uncensored and often scandalous activities allegedly performed by students.

"You can't tell if people are making the stuff up," Cook said. "Some of it is just a little too out there."

Junior Hannah Harp said she thinks these accounts are typical for most universities. @OU_Confessions tweeted for the first time March 10. This account has more than 8,800 followers and more than 1,600 tweets.

The links to submit confessions are available to anyone, which is why Harp said she questions the validity of some tweets and is also concerned of the consequences.

"Regardless of how funny or harmless we think submitting something is in the moment, we have to be aware that these accounts can reflect who we are as a student body and if we're not careful, they make us come across as a population of trashy and tasteless twenty-somethings," Harp said.

@MiamiofBrohio has been on Twitter since July 17, 2011.

"We are the definitive view into the elite life that Miami bros live," the account's bio line said on its profile page. "Try not to fog up the windows as you stare."

The account has nearly 6,800 followers and more than 4,900 tweets.

"@MiamiofBrohio retweeted me once," Cook said. "I kind of laughed when they did."

For those wanting to know the weather forecast with a twist of humor attached, @MiamiUweather will provide it.

Dozens of Miami-related Twitter accounts exist, and Cook said he thinks there are too many.

"Same tweets, different account," Cook said. "I'd never create one; it'd just be a waste of time."

Danubio said she agrees there is an overload of these Twitter accounts.

"I think the people that run the accounts have way too much free time, but some of them are really funny," Danubio said.

Harp said she finds accounts such as @MiamiUBoobs and @MiamiYogaPants inappropriate. @MiamiUBoobs tweets faceless pictures of females' breasts that are sent in via email or Snapchat. @MiamiYogaPants tweets pictures of girls wearing yoga pants. Some pictures are taken by strangers and sent in, while others appear to be staged.

Bennett said she hopes students realize employers look at social media sites when hiring.

"These students are going to be applying for jobs soon so that might be something to be aware of as people take pictures of each other at Brick Street and other places Uptown," she said.