Dear Liz,
There's a website everyone at school knows about where people have been posting insulting messages about me giving my name and also my school and the year I'm in. Lots of vile and untrue things have been said about me and I don't know what to do. My mum wants to get the police involved but I'm afraid it will make things worse. I don't know who is behind it or how to complain and get the postings removed.
David
I can understand why you're so upset about this, Bullying UK has closed down several of these unpleasant websites inviting others to post abuse.
Although this board has been set up by people who live in your area, it is hosted abroad. If you go to the 'help' menu on the board it should give you information about what to do if you have a complaint.
Ask your parents to send an email to the contact address explaining that abusiv remarks are being made about you and that these almost certainly contravene the terms and conditions the message board owner signed when he took up the service.
Your parents should ask if all abusive messages about you and anyone else can be removed. They can explain that if there are a number of them they may amount to harassment under UK law and that they will be making a complaint to the police if they are not removed.
If your parents don't get a favourable response they can go to a website called www.geektools.com, to the section called 'who is' and then type in the name of the website ie. www.anyboard.com and one click on the button will tell them the name and address of the site's registered owner. They can then report that to the police.
I'd also suggest that your parents alert your head teacher to this problem as you are probably not the only person being targeted in this way. If people are using school computers to upload this abuse then the school should be able to halt their internet use.
Last modified: Thursday, 2 August 2012, 12:30 PM