Alarm over ‘horrific bullying’ website

PARENTS are being warned that their children face horrific cyber-bullying on a new social networking site that lets users post vicious and anonymous comments about each other.

The Sayat.Me site – whose slogan boasts ‘Get anonymous and honest feedback about yourself’ – cynically claims users can get to know themselves better.

But as its popularity spreads rapidly through schools, Britain’s leading expert on new social networks, Professor Andy Phippen of Plymouth University, has warned of dangerous consequences.

He said: ‘There’s potential for serious harm to vulnerable children as it’s vulnerable children who want the attention.’

The last time a social network allowing users to post anonymous comments about each other was launched, it led to the suicides of seven young people in the UK.

Ask.fm faced calls for it to be closed down from politicians, coroners and children’s charities in 2013 after it was linked to a string of deaths as the result of cyber-bullying.

Schoolgirl Millie Clatworthy, 13, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, has launched a petition on Change.org calling for Sayat.Me to be shut down.

Millie, who has been the victim of cyber-hate, said: ‘This will lead to cyber-bullying without knowing the perpetrator.’

The Mail on Sunday was unable to reach Sayat.Me for comment.