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Original poster

to want to spur you all into action

49 replies

MrsDeidreIppy · 25/01/2011 21:29

Right so theres this site called Little Gossip. Its been mentioned on Mumsnet before but hasn't recieved that much attention yet. Despite complaints and attempts to get under 16s off it is still up and running and still includes sixth forms and colleges. The basic purpose off the site is to post gossip about others in the same institution. This gossip does not have to be true, in fact Little gossip encourages users to make up gossip. Users can also rate gossip as being true or false and comment on gossip. Obviously this site is likely to have a horrible effect on young peoples self-esteem and be damaging to relationships and atmosphere in colleges etc.

What I propose is that you go on this website and post comments about why it is not good to gossip and how damaging this can be to young peoples self-esteem etc, as people of the world who have been through teenage years and know how tricky it can be.

OP posts:
plupervert · 26/01/2011 22:31

Slander, though...

KalokiMallow · 27/01/2011 01:08

Like I say, I believe they are breaking the terms and conditions of their host (GoDaddy.com)

Specifically the one about not having "activities designed to defame, embarrass, harm, abuse, threaten, slander or harass third parties"

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 11:10

Yes Kaloki, is there a way of contacting them? I wonder if they would act on it at all?

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 11:24

I do think that if people spot a college with students under 18 that we should maybe inform the institution so that they can at least start the process of requesting the pages to be removed. I think many of them are unaware of it.
I will do that if I can see the name and nature of the college (ie its including children under 18)

KalokiMallow · 27/01/2011 12:29

After a bit of hunting I found this email address [email protected]

KalokiMallow · 27/01/2011 12:30

ps. looks like godaddy do a lot of charity work, so they may be more keen to distance themselves from the website.

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 12:52

That is great - well done. Well it might be worth emailing them.
Is there anything else that is helpful and contacts the right people?

KalokiMallow · 27/01/2011 12:54

I think the hosts are the only ones in a position to do anything, as the website is legal. The only ammunition you have is that it breaks the T&C.

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 12:55

the person to address it to is Bob Parsons.

plupervert · 27/01/2011 13:07

Stars, Kaloki and Cheapskate!

as for activities "designed to ...", the only way the site could be designed to avoid these things is byhvaing it pre-moderated. But they wouldn't dream of doing that; too little "content" would get through!

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 13:21

"Parsons is active with social media and uses @DrBobParsons on Twitter."

That is what GO Daddy's Bob Parsons's own website says.
Might it be worth contacting him on twitter if any of you are Twitterers?

Cheapskate · 27/01/2011 15:13

Have you seen there is a strange link at the bottom of the page to an 'adult' friendfinder page. Is this linked, or is it a source of income for the site?

plupervert · 27/01/2011 18:23

Hmm at "adult" friends...

Cheapskate · 28/01/2011 07:47

Just had this really prompt and helpful response from the President's office at 'Go Daddy' who have explained their function in relation to the site. I think it is worth picking up the information they have passed on and contacting 0C3 networks and web solutions - what do you all think? (smile)
"We can certainly appreciate your concerns in this matter and thank you for bringing this to our attention. After further review, we found that Go Daddy functions as the domain name registrar for this site. While it does also appear that the site operator and/or domain name registrant are utilizing Go Daddy's nameservers, the site ultimately resolves to the IP address of 96.44.142.251. In researching this IP address, we found that it is controlled or managed by OC3 Networks & Web Solutions, LLC (which also appears to be known as QuadraNet). It appears that their web site is available at the following link:
www.oc3networks.com/
As it appears that this company would have access to the content in question, we must respectfully request that you review this matter with them directly."

Cheapskate · 28/01/2011 07:53

ACCORDING TO QUADRANET'S SITE THIS IS THEIR CODE OF PRACTICE

QuadraNet prohibits sites engaged in:

. Illegal activities including but not limited to storing and/or distributing illegal copies of copyrighted software, warez sites, violations of copyrights and trademarks, violations of U.S. laws, selling and/or distributing illegal contraband.
. Internet abuse including but not limited to spamming - mass unsolicited Emailing, distribution of mass emailing programs, cross-posting messages to a large number of usenet groups, posting obscene or inflammatory messages, threatening other Internet users, mail bombing Internet users, running packet sniffers or port scanners, spamming QuadraNet support staff. Spammers are held responsible for a $500 clean up fee.

I Can't see who one should email - anyone there havea any luck in finding an email aaddress?

plupervert · 28/01/2011 09:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

plupervert · 28/01/2011 09:24

D'oh! US companies, not UK!

Somebody reboot me; it's tax-filling-in day!

plupervert · 28/01/2011 09:27

I've reported my post above, so hopefully it will be removed soon. However, in case anyone wonders about dastardly censorship, it was something from Companies House on those company names. As we are nOt talking about a UK co, I thought it better not to have an innocent company associated with this discussion, and asked MNHQ to have the post and that info deleted.

Cheapskate · 28/01/2011 11:08

www.oc3networks.com
When you look at this site, iut is called QuadraNet.

It is difficult to be certain, but on Google, it appears that the CEO of oc3networks.com in the US is Mr Jim Gurol. However, this might information might be out of date or indeed a different company.

There is also an email address to report concerns about activities of a site hosted/managed by them.

[email protected]

plupervert · 29/01/2011 21:56

The BBC are doing something on this, see media request here.

whomovedmychocolate · 29/01/2011 21:59

I'm not going to suggest you crash their servers by all logging on and posting very dull bits of gossip, such as 'the toilets smell funny' on every single college site. Although that might be fun.

But a slight run of interference may pay dividends. :)

Cheapskate · 31/01/2011 08:22

I dont know that they would care much about a slight run of interference. I do think that if people consistently reported nasty , racist,inflamatory, pornographic comments placed on their about young people, that would at least limit the damage to them.
We aren't talking about mild rude banter - the kind of things being said are damaging and deeply offensive...often racist or making jokes about a child's disability or the disability of their parents. And the children who are doing this believe they are immune from any responsibility.

Cheapskate · 01/02/2011 07:45

Can I warn those of you with children who are maybe in the older age range - who go to sixth form colleges or 14-19 colleges, that Little Gossip seems to be taking off again.
It would be worth making sure that principals or head teachers are told about the site.

Zoeb1 · 07/02/2011 13:35

Hello, I'm writing a story about LittleGossip and how corrosive it is for The Daily Mail. I'm keen to speak to youngsters who have become victims of unpleasant posts. Can anyone help? Thanks! Zoe Brennan, Senior Feature Writer, The Daily Mail

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