Safety features on ask.fm to be audited

Controversial social media website ask.fm has said it will carry out a full and independent audit of the site and its safety features, following widespread criticism of its response to cyberbullying.

The move comes as major advertisers have withdrawn from the site in recent days following the suicide of 14-year-old Hannah Smith, who was being bullied on the site.

The website was also linked to the tragic suicides of Irish schoolgirls Ciara Pugsley, 14, from Leitrim, and Erin Gallagher, 13, from Donegal, last year.

“A team of lawyers and media specialists are currently undertaking a detailed examination and investigation of the various procedures and policies we have in place. They will report back to us with their findings and comprehensive recommendations in the next seven days,” said the ask.fm statement.

The website, which is based in Latvia, and was set up by brothers Mark and Ilja Terebin, has said it will reveal the names of the users who targeted teenager Hannah Smith on the site.

They said the site has the technology to identify “almost all users” and that they are committed to supporting the Leicestershire Police investigation. The pair also confirmed that “in extreme circumstances such as those we’ve experienced this week”, such technology could be used to identify anonymous bullies and “ensure this information is accessible to the appropriate, legal authorities”.

The site said it would announce the action it plans to take based on the audit of the site on Aug 16.

“We are confident that taking this action is in the best interests of our users and of social networkers as a whole. We are committed to safeguarding against bullying and harassment in all forms and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues across the industry to do this,” said the statement.

The move will be seen by some as a response to the website’s loss of advertisers. Save the Children, The Sun newspaper, Specsavers, British Telecom, Vodafone, Setanta Sports, Eircom and the Northern Tourist Board have all severed links with the site in the past few days.

It is also a marked shift in attitude for the site. One of its founders Ilja Terebin, in an interview with website Arctic Startup, said the site was being targeted unfairly by parents and media over claims of cyberbullying.

“Kids lack attention, mainly because parents are doing other things such as watching TV, drinking beer and reading the tabloids. When they come to sites like these, they start trolling themselves so that their peers start protecting them. In this absurd way, they get the attention,” he said.

The site now has 60m registered users and is estimated to be worth €58m.