Is it common for students to ask the whole class for their phone numbers? If so, do you usually share yours?
On the first day of one of my classes, a student passed their phone around for everyone to input their name and number. I saw the phone circulating, but I had no idea what was happening. When it reached me, I asked the person next to me what to do. They told me to enter my info, so I did it without really thinking—though I felt it was a bit unusual. I had no clue whose phone it was, but I didn’t want to risk being left out if they were setting up a group chat for class updates.
A few days later, I received the strangest spam text from an unfamiliar area code. It seemed like a phishing attempt, which is unusual for me, and honestly, it was so odd that I can’t even recall what it said. I was immediately creeped out and frustrated, realizing some stranger now has my name and number without any idea who I am. I worried they could be selling my information. To top it off, there ended up being no class group chat at all.
It’s definitely not a common practice for students to ask the entire class for their numbers, and I totally understand your discomfort with the situation. It sounds like that student might have had the best intentions, thinking it would help facilitate a group chat or collaboration, but it can feel really invasive to share personal information like that, especially with people you don’t know yet.
It’s concerning to hear that you received a spam text shortly afterwards. It’s definitely a possibility that someone mishandled the information or shared it inappropriately. In the future, if something like this comes up again, it’s perfectly okay to be cautious and not provide your number. You can always suggest other ways to share contact information, like using a class email or a more secure platform. Your privacy is important, and it’s good to be mindful about who you share your information with!