What do I do? Found out my ds is being mean/rude about others classmates on his email

[naxa]

My 9 yearr old DS has recently been given an email address at his school. As it is a webmail account I have been logging on and checking that the spam blocker is working etc. Today I read a couple of his emails and was shocked to see that he and a friend have been gossiping / bitching about some of the girls in class. Some of the comments are quite unpleasant and I am as it seems very unlike him - he is usually quite a sweet, generous boy and not interested in tittle tattle etc.
What should I do - let him know I have read the emails or just let it pass? I don't think he would really make the same comments in a real (offline) situation.
Any advice?

I would most def tell him you have read it and it is not acceptable.in the firmest possible of ways.

In just the same way as if you overheard a conversation from behind a closed door.

We give our kids(9,8,6) quite a free rein with computers ( dh is very techy) but have drilled into them that they only get this freedom on the understanding that EVERYTHING they do on them is an open book to us, and in particular to their dad. And at any point wwe can ask to see everything they have been looking at or writing.

I don't think you can let it go.

This can turn into bullying if not nipped in the bud.

The sad truth is none of us know what our kids say when we are not htere to hear them

If not nipped in the bud now he might get involved in cyberbullying. I've spent all week doing talks on bullying in Secondary schools. It can transfer into real life.

Thanks all - I will have a chat with him tonight.