Nasty gossip

[Helpyourself]

DD is 17 and has discovered today that an old friend at her former school has been saying DD has an STI.
WWYD? At the moment she's just shaken and is working out what if anything she should do.
It's strange but not atypical behaviour from friend- she's quite dramatic and regularly falls out with people and no one really believes it; DD knew something had happened as she's had a flurry of messages over the last few weeks.
Any advice?

I would be fuming and would ring the girl's parents. If she's nasty enough to spread a horrible rumour, then she deserves the consequences. I don't care why she did it, if she'd done that to my dd I'd be furious.

That's my first instinct. But I worry that it could make things worse. DD is quite shaken by it all

And I'm pretty certain there wouldn't be consequences- although she's admitted she did it to another friend, she'd probably deny it.

Total storm in a teacup...

1. Deeeeeep breath and sit still...
2. learn from Napoleon: "never interrupt your enemy when she is making a mistake"
3. wait (probably a short time) and your calculated inaction will pay off.

Doing and saying exactly nothing generally means winning the moral high ground quite automatically. Less is more.

Always allow the idiots making noise to continue.
Empty vessels make most sound.

I agree mini you and your DD should totally ignore this.

Thank you all of you.
She didn't have her phone over night. There are several concerned messages from friends and none from the perpetrator so I think your advice, Mini, is good.
I'll advise her to sit tight and ignore.