malicious gossip being spread by other teens about our family

[didntexpectthisfromteenboys]

Trying to be careful not to out myself here! DS is in year 8 and has a group of a few good friends. He has some old friends from his previous school whom he was very close with however they have turned on him in by adding him to group chats (he had blocked them but they can add whatever to group chats). They are saying awful things about us - that we take drugs, we are paedophiles and other such completely unfounded stuff. This is continuing in school and DS is very upset about it. Other child has denied it all but DS has screenshots of who started it and what they have said.
Please can anyone advise how we can stop this and what on earth to do?

Why have the friends turned on him all of a sudden? Just wondering what’s gone on for all this to have started?

Those are very serious allegations and I would contacting the police for advice.
Why on earth would they be doing this?

Report to the school and to the police.

Go to settings on what’s app in his phone and https://faq.whatsapp.com/1131457590844955/?cms_platform=iphone#. Hope this helps.. go to school safeguarding lead with your screenshots

I have no idea - yes they are very serious allegations. It is appalling - there is no grounds for them whatsoever

Thank you for your responses - yes incredibly serious and unfounded allegations. The school have called me today and I have told them the truth about who started it and exactly what they have said and reminded them of their duty of care.
They have given us info on how to completely block the others and so they cannot now add DS into the conversations.
Thankfully the school do not believe what has been said but as we have nothing to hide they are welcome to investigate. They are going to step in terms of support for DS as well as intervene immediately if this doesn't stop and they continue anything in this vein - we will then have to take it further.
Seriously, I just don't understand this mentality - their lives are hard enough as it is without this.

I’d be going straight to the parents houses and telling them exactly what their children had said and ask them what they plan on doing about it as you’re going to take it to the police.

Those are some awful allegations and I wouldn’t be ignoring.

Report them to the police. Take the evidence. Why on earth haven’t you done it already?

Firstly - I do not want to raise it to that level yet as it would make our lives extremely unpleasant. The parents have claimed their child has done nothing wrong and it was started by DS. We have mutual "friends" and some of their friends have form and are not good characters at all - not sure how else I can phrase this but I am hoping you can understand what I mean.

It would also make my DS's life at school unbearable. I am keeping my powder dry however if it flares up again, we will have no choice.

These are kids from another school?

sadly these are kids from the same school and in the same year group (former friends)

Has anything further happened?

What does the other mother mean, your DS started it?

Op has your child said something about them? What does she mean your child started it?

no was started by the other 2 children (and a third but no longer at same school); DS has retaliated verbally and I have told him that he shouldn't have said some of the things he said - however nothing compared to what the other children have said and he hasn't said anything about the other families.
Update is - he cannot now be added to the new chats to wind him up as contacts completely blocked thank goodness. School have spoken to both and asked them to keep away from each other -DS sticking with this but other child not so much.
The main update really is that other child has been sending photos of DS from years ago to other people at school. These photos were taken by their parents when they were all friends etc; some of them clearly show school logo etc but do not know if featured on Instagram or wherever - tried to look but not so good at insta! Don't think it is illegal just annoying and upsetting for DS.

Sharing ordinary photo is not a crime. As far as I know. I assume you could do the same if you wished.

I would go and see a solicitor. Get a shot across the bows of this boy’s parents. Published unfounded allegations are not acceptable so at least take advice.