LittleGossip.com - Please read

[JF1010]

Dear All,

I would just like to draw your attentions to one of the most degrading and irresponsible sites online; Little Gossip: Share and Discuss Latest University & College Gossip

 

Their slogan, "Find out the gossip in YOUR university/college about someone you know, rate it, or make up your own!" clearly describes the website as highly irresponsible.

 

You set your country, find your school/college and hit enter.

Click 'Add Gossip'

Enter ANY EMAIL ADDRESS (which doesn't get verified)

Target any student (victim) you like

They say you must be 18 to post on the site and the person you are posting about must also be over 18. With a simple "YES" and this challenging authentication is cracked.

Write your insults, no matter how slanderous, insulting, incorrect or bully-like-behaviour.

Enter in the CAPTCHA

 

DONE!

 

This is not my college, however you can see the insults and threats that are going around on this college's page Little Gossip: Share and Discuss Latest University & College Gossip

 

If you wish to have a post removed, you must make 2 spam-like gossips before you can do so.

 

We have been in touch with the site and they REFUSE to remove our school from the site.

 

Naturally we have now blocked this site within the school network but this does not stop kids from logging on to different machines at home or using iPhones etc to get on to the site and target vulnerable kids.

 

If you don't like what you see please email: [email protected]

 

Also, does anybody know of a internet equivalent of OFCOM for the internet?

 

 

Many thanks

[GREED]

What country does the site originate? Ofcom should still cover this if in UK

[Theblacksheep]

Filtered as tasteless on Websense 7.1

[JF1010]

I am not sure where in the world it operates from, however I believe from a WhoIs its hosted from the USA

 

Domain Name: LITTLEGOSSIP.COM

Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.

Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com

Referral URL: Domain Names, Web Hosting and SSL Certificates - Go Daddy

Name Server: NS39.DOMAINCONTROL.COM

Name Server: NS40.DOMAINCONTROL.COM

Status: ok

Updated Date: 16-dec-2010

Creation Date: 08-aug-2010

Expiration Date: 08-aug-2011

[Cools]

there nout you can do the domain name and servers are hosted state side..

[GREED]

GoDaddy is a well known provider, because they are cheap and tend to not be bothered by what they host. (Edit: in my experience)

 

Blocking will be the best policy for now. Spread the word to other establishments to do the same. Try contacting the main filter companies to get it added to their automated black listings.

[bladedanny]

Blocked here at YHGfL

[JPS]

Its not blocked here via LGfL. I've just visited the first page to see the word f*** and a sexual reference. I think this will be blocked internally asap!

[localzuk]

Blocked in SWGfL

[taff]

There has been a huge discussion about this website on the HMC mailing list. Various actions have been taken up to and including contacting CEOP to try and get the site taken down as it is completely irresponsible.

[GREED]

2 points: 1. How will CEOP help if in america? 2. They can't take wikileaks down (for long!), will they bother with this?

 

BTW, not arguing that it should be taken down, awful site!

[JJonas]

maybe we should start google searching 'paypal littlegossip visa'

 

maybe Anonymous will shut them down for us?

[robk]

Blocked by smoothwall as socal networking, but not by EMBC, will pass on to Derbyshire unless grumbledook gets to embc first....

[AngryTechnician]

2 points: 1. How will CEOP help if in america? 2. They can't take wikileaks down (for long!), will they bother with this?

 

1. CEOP is part of the Virtual Global Taskforce and as such routinely liaises and cooperates with law enforcement agencies globally, including the US. I know for a fact that LittleGossip has been on their radar for some time as it was discussed at the CEOP Ambassador training I attended in October.

 

2. WikiLeaks have much more technical know-how than some idiotic bullying site (and that's all this is). I don't imagine the owners of LittleGossip will be hard to track down.

 

P.S. Blocked by RM SafetyNet.

[Dom_]

Accessible on KGFL, but can't find any of the local schools on anyway... will request it blocking now

[GrumbleDook]

Put the request in to EMBC to block it.

[GrumbleDook]

Can someone in embc land can check this? It now falls under hate speech / profanity but if you have local control of filtering you may have turned that category off (and so begins a discussion about why you would turn that category off!)

[AngryTechnician]

The following is an extract from an email bulletin sent by CEOP to Think U Know trainers this evening. I hope they will not object to me quoting the part pertaining to Little Gossip here:

 

We have recently received a number of emails and reports regarding the website Little Gossip.

 

CEOP are familiar with this site and believe that it is often used as a platform for cyberbullying and the posting of harmful content by users.

 

We are currently making contact with those parties who run the website and the host company, to question the premise and safeguards on the site and to advise them on how to better protect their users. We are hoping that Little Gossip will respond positively and work constructively with CEOP.

 

In the meantime, we recommend that young people refrain from using this website as they are likely to witness harmful content or experience cyberbullying. We would also ask that if professionals witness any of the above behaviour that they forward this to CEOP so that we can gather for intelligence purposes. As ever, if anyone feels a crime may have been committed they can inform their local police immediately.

 

If you are aware of a young person who has been bullied on Little Gossip, we encourage them to see advice and support at http://www.cybermentors.org.uk.

[elsiegee40]

I was about to post the above, but angrytechnician beat me to it! Ta!

[joe90bass]

It has to be one of the most irresponsible sites I've ever heard of! I'm attending an ecrime/esafety seminar on Monday, I'll see if they have any more information. If not, I'm doing the Ambassador training In January so I'm sure there'll be more info on it there!

[BarriedaleNick]

As of now (15:57 22-12) The site is down. Hope it stays there - parents and the press have been on the blower today already asking about it. It was in the Evening Standard last night and the Mail today...

[speckytecky]

Well done fellow EduGeekers for kicking ar** on this seems your action has been a catalyst for the site being closed.

[tech_guy]

Let's hope it doesn't reappear. Horrible site.

[joe90bass]

Let's hope it doesn't reappear. Horrible site.

 

No argument from me on that!

[BarriedaleNick]

Ok this is interesting but its late (plus beer) so I may be wrong.

The site is up but I seem to have got my school removed. I cant search for my school and links that we had saved no longer work. This may be temporary or just a glitch but today I had used the contact form on LG to request institutional removal on the grounds that we dont have 18+ pupils..

Ill see what happens tomorrow..