To think Tattle life isn’t actually that bad?

Some of the comments on celebrities and families on Tattle look as if they could be libellous.

I know an influencer who was stalked by some Tattle members who had a nasty obsession with her. They are batshit.

I only really look at some of tv/media and current affairs type stuff. I think people who use SM as the main income open themselves up to whatever the consequences are, especially people who use their children for financial gain.

I’m not a Tattle member, but I do read it quite often, and from what I’ve seen, while there are some very blunt comments ablut influencers and celebrities, I think forum members are much nicer and more respectful to each other than they are on Mumsnet. I’ve seen much worse posted about celebrities on other sites than on Tattle, and I’ve always felt that if people make a choice to put themselves in the public eye, then they have to expect that they will get a lot of comments about every aspect of their lives, good and bad.

Have had a lurk occasionally on tattle at the news/true crime threads but the celebrity threads on there are something else! The women/men on there need to get a life as some seem to have made posting about a particular celebrity their hobby. Sad really.

I think it depends on what threads you go on. There are some mild ones, and then there are ones which take ‘gossiping’ too far.

people who go out of their way to stalk influencers children, find out where they live and make their lives a misery do need to be held accountable

Also, would you say most of the things you do if it weren’t anonymous?

I think they make a fair point about registering with identification.

Mumsnet can be horrible—there’s a lot of bullying and cruel comments.

I think it’s the anonymity that is the real legal problem, especially when people write statements and comments about others. Individuals should have the right to counteract false or slanderous comments in court.

Thst doesn’t mean they deserve harassment and stalking.

I’ve only been on once and what I saw really appalled me- people tracking influencers and journalists across SM and using anything they could to criticise them. There was a weird obsessiveness to it- clearly for some posters monitoring and slagging off a particular influencer was their main occupation.

I don't like influencer culture and I especially don't like anyone (celebrity or otherwise) posting their kids on social media, but the specific legal difficulties Tattle is currently encountering are because so much of what is posted is simply not true. That's where the successful defamation suit has come from (and more will likely follow).

The general feeling of the site is vindictive, mean-spirited and obsessive, but none of that is illegal. However, the fact that the site routinely publishes defamatory statements about people is a different kettle of fish. That's why it's controversial.

There have been plenty of vicious threads on here about people. Tabloids have always trolled celebs too and they get away with it. Even posting unflattering photos with snidely headlines.

Posting unflattering photos with snide headlines isn't a crime.

Posting libelous statements, stalking and harassing people is against the law, that's the difference. Tabloids absolutely don't get away with it. They're very careful and employ massive legal departments to tell them exactly what they can and can't get away with, and end up paying out huge sums of money when they screw up.

People get very brave on the Internet when they think they're anonymous, but as a lot of Tattle users are about to find out, there's no such thing as complete anonymity.

I'm sure there were people on Tattle with a legitimate interest in protecting people from scams or exposing fraudsters, but for every one of them it seemed like there were five Facebook Mum Detectives with nothing better to do, who hated the fact that 'influencers' or celebrities seemingly had an easier life than they did, and set out to ruin it.

Tattle obviously 🫣

I adore tiktok and will defend it forever, but so many people hate it because they don't see what I'm seeing because of the algorithm. I think it's possible for Tattler and MN to fall prey to the same kind of criticism if you don't use nuance, critical thinking etc. "MN is full of blah blah blah because 3 whole posters were horrible to me"

Duplicate post

I used to be on the GOMI site which was discussion about bloggers back in the day. That was all about a place for negatively/opinions but there were limits in that you'd discuss the content not peoples appearances, not hate rant, you wouldn't interact with them through comments, nor interfere with their real lives - so no contacting bloggers sponsors etc. It was witty and interesting and valid.

Tattle is awful commentary with some legitimate feedback somewhere within the bile. I think it depends on the thread how awful or not they are.

If people were just genuinely discussing issues or poking fun at celebrities and influencers there wouldn't be this problem. Doxxing, hate speech, slander and people getting death threats as a result are the issue, which does go on in spades so I'm not sure why there is so much faux innocence about it.

People hide behind anonymity too much.

It's definitely not the worst site on the internet though.

I've been on it. Its definitely an eyeopener. One z list celebrity who paints herself as a great hands on down to earth mum. When actually she's far from it. The tattle thread might be harsh at times but they're spot on with what they point out about her.

I haven't seen the brutal threads but i dont spend much time on it. I find it hard to navigate and very slow

Tattle is an excellent forum. Subjects are discussed on there which don't get aired enough because other media (including Mumsnet) routinely censor for commercial sensitivities or they have 'be kind' editors / imagined audiences.

I've seen some impressive research, especially on current affairs discussions, and it disrupts the business models of some egregious 'influencer' grifting.

Some threads are just fun, some are wild but I don't consider their celebrity subjects to be vulnerable.

I'm howling at po-faced headlines about 'the most hateful site on the internet' - have these compliant journos never seen the 4Chan / 8Chan / supporters of race wars / rape site hells on the internet? Seriously?

The reason it's being targeted is its main user demographic is women, many of whom are middle-aged, and have the temerity to take the piss out of slebs, think Lucy Letby is guilty and impolitely discuss transwars instead of being nice, quiet, supportive ladies.

When it was threatened a few months back, looking like it might be pulled, users were literally rebuilding it from scratch - I don't think it's going anywhere. I was there when Huw Edwards' arse appeared in real time - great days.

I know a woman who’s been ripped to shreds on there. The thread about her is full of lies made up by her nasty abusive violent ex, under another name of course. The morons on there believe everything they read, and love nothing better than mass reporting to social services. Of course nothing comes of this as there’s no truth in any of it. Also while SS are having to investigate these false allegations they’re losing the time they need for people who actually do need help. It’s a horrible site full of awful people.

I haven't delved that deeply but it seems like a vitriolic gossip site mostly aimed at women. There was no fact checking so people could make up whatever they liked. Users seemed to see themselves as providing a valuable service by destroying people's reputations and mental health. I'm sure they'll eventually make the NY honours list.

I only heard about it from MN. One peruse of it was enough.

50 page threads with people prattling on hatefully about Katie Price or some influencer? Nah, I’m good!

There are some differences from Mumsnet, I think. Firstly, untruths are discussed so regularly, they assume the status of truth. Secondly, really nasty and misogynistic insults about physical appearance and sexual behaviour are not deleted. Thirdly, abusive name-calling is endemic.