Ask.fm founders perform U-turn on internet safety

The founders of controversial social networking site Ask.fm have rather hastily changed their public approach to cyberbullying after a major backlash has seen advertisers withdraw from the site.

After the tragic suicide of 15-year-old Leitrim girl and Ask.fm user, Ciara Pugsley last year, the site owners, Latvian brothers Mark and Ilja Terebin, did not even deign to respond to media queries.

Eventually they issued a controversial press release to RTÉ’s Frontline where they stated: “Of course there is a problem with cyberbullying in social media. But, as far as we can see, we only have this situation in Ireland and the UK most of all, trust me”.