Facebook defends connection to site linked with cyberbullying suicides

Facebook has defended its use of an app connecting users with a website linked to the suicide of two teen-age girls over cyberbullying.

Facebook said the link to ask.fm did not violate any of its data “platform policies” — the real name was displayed and the app could be reported.

It also pointed out that the app gave a layer of security because those using it could not do so anonymously, unlike those who use ask.fm directly.

The deaths last year of Erin Gallagher, aged 13, from Donegal, and Ciara Pugsley, aged 15, from Leitrim, were raised yesterday at a media briefing at Facebook’s Dublin office.

Both girls allegedly took their own lives after being bullied via ask.fm.

Facebook director of policy Simon Milner said the connection to the Latvian-based site provided by Facebook, with all its safety benefits, made it less risky.

Mr Milner said he is the father of two teenagers, and knew that teenagers liked to try out new things. “We know they take risks, and like to do it,” he said.

He hoped when they visit ask.fm that teenagers realise it is not a good place to be and move away from it.

Mr Milner, who described reports on the deaths of the two teenage girls as “horr-endous”, hoped it would serve as a wake-up call.

He also said he hoped that the environment Facebook provided would ensure that teenagers quickly realised the difference between a safe and an unsafe site.

Mr Milner said Facebook decided against removing the app, as it was not in breach of its terms. “If we had removed that link, I think we would have left some of our young users in a less safe place,” he said.

Mr Milner said they could not eradicate bullying from Facebook, but they could provide the best possible tools to deal with it.

“That is why we partner with organisations in Ireland and in other countries to get the message across — you do not have to put up with it,” said Mr Milner. “There are things you can do; you can block people; you can report them.”

Mr Milner said Facebook used to disable accounts of people accused of bullying, but now focuses on letting them know what they were doing was not right. He said a child is not expelled from school for bullying: “You try and deal with the bully as well as the bullying.”

He was also asked about a recent survey by Irish anti-bullying service Bully4u, which found 50% of 7- to 8-year-olds are using Facebook, despite its user policy being restricted to 13 years and over.

Mr Milner said EU Kids Online found that at least three-quarters of parents were helping underage children lie about their age. “It is a very difficult area for us and we don’t have a silver bullet solution,” he said.