Little Gossip website - let's shut it down.

[willow]

I've been forwarded this by a friend who has a teenage son. Fortunately, my DS is a bit young to be bothered by this, but I've had a look and it's vile... Not sure where to put this, but as it's aimed at teenagers I thought this would be best place.

The most appalling website has sprung to prominence. It?s an open book for bitching, bullying, backstabbing and the very, very worst of teenage brutishness.

Anyone can write anonymous vitriol about anyone AND name that person. Please look at the website: www.littlegossip.com and then:

1. Block it from all computers to which your children have access
2. Send a complaint to both of these email addresses and your MP and to anyone else who you think might reasonably be able to do something to stop this. [email protected] and [email protected]
3. Forward this email to your entire address book.

Please take the time to do this now or more and more teenagers will suffer.

You ay it is aimed at teenagers but it says you have to be 18+ to enter

Perhaps it would be better to teach our children self-respect and personal esteem

Oh I do agree that it is awful

I lodged a complaint as a concerned parent about this vile website to CEOP - the Child Protection and Online Centre - and, although it offers excellent advice, including that you should tell the police about certain content, the reply shows how ineffectual CEOP's powers seem to be:

"Thank you for your recent referral to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. We have recently received a number of emails and reports regarding the website Little Gossip.

CEOP are familiar with this site and believe that it is often used as a platform for cyberbullying and the posting of harmful content by users.

We are currently making contact with those parties who run the website and the host company, to question the premise and safeguards on the site and to advise them on how to better protect their users. We are hoping that Little Gossip will respond positively and work constructively with CEOP.

In the meantime, we recommend that young people refrain from using this website as they are likely to witness harmful content or experience cyberbullying. We would also ask that if professionals witness any of the above behaviour that they forward this to CEOP so that we can gather for intelligence purposes. As ever, if anyone feels a crime may have been committed they can inform their local police.

If you are aware of a young person who has been bullied on Little Gossip, we encourage them to see advice and support at www.cybermentors.org.uk."

Facebook's formspring can be a forum for bullying too. Same anonymous comments etc.

FitFinder was closed down after pressure from the universities, and that was far more light-hearted and positive.

Hopefully the same will happen with this. Luckily doesn't seem to have caught on at my uni. Vile

Just seen there's a much longer conversation about this topic in the Teenagers section of mumsnet.

Has anyone found that since their school shut down Little Gossip, the pupils are just using Formspring for anonymous bullying?