The playground gossip has moved to social media in Spain, and it does much more harm

If you have a teenage son or daughter, you can do the test yourself. Access your Instagram or TikTok account and type “gossips” in the search bar. Press tab to generate a space and activate predictive search (the function that most applications have to anticipate user needs). It is very likely that the search engine will suggest options that sound familiar to you. For example, the neighborhood where you live (“gossips lescorts”); or the name of your children's school (“gossips lasalle”). You won't be able to access the content of those accounts because they are private. But there might be someone at home who might follow one of those accounts and know perfectly well what is being talked about there.

This week, a group of parents from Sant Cugat del Vallés have organized to denounce the activity of one of these Instagram accounts, @cotilleoo_sancuu. There, they explain, accusations, slander, and rumors about dozens of teenagers from the area were being spread. These are not usually serious defamations from a criminal point of view (yet), but rather gossip, with more or less malice and more or less credibility: “They were seen holding hands”; “Someone from school X hooks up with everyone”; “The cutest kids in 3rd grade”. However, some of them cause a lot of harm to the recipient (more often, recipient), as they reach their entire social environment: classmates, friends from other schools, etc.

There must be changes and they must be implemented soon, because the impact that these episodes have on the mental health of these young people is brutal”

Núria AragayProfessor of the Psychology Degree at UIC

“They are messages that spread very quickly and reach a lot of people,” explains Núria Aragay, a clinical psychologist, professor of the Psychology Degree at the UIC, and coordinator of the Behavioral Addictions Unit at the Terrassa Health Consortium. “Preventive work is necessary from the family and school environments, but it is also important to demand more and better regulation of the companies behind these platforms. There need to be changes and they must be implemented soon, because the impact of these episodes on the mental health of these young people in a very fragile period of their lives is brutal. The challenge is difficult, but we cannot look the other way,” warns the clinical psychologist.

Most commonly, these gossips last a short time in cyberspace. They are bubbles that inflate quickly and burst soon. Some go unnoticed beyond the circle that shares the information, which does not mean they are harmless for those who suffer from them. In other occasions, someone sounds the alarm: the parents of a victim explain the incident at home, as has happened in Sant Cugat; more commonly, the incident is managed from schools, when teachers are warned of the situation and escalate the case to the school's coexistence coordinators and the board of directors. But the aftermath remains. A lie is halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.

How do apps for sending anonymous messages on Instagram work

One of the key factors contributing to the proliferation of cyberbullying campaigns through social media is the existence of platforms and apps that facilitate the distribution of anonymous messages. These apps work by allowing users to create anonymous accounts or profiles, which enable them to send messages, comments, or content without revealing their identity. Some of the most common apps that facilitate anonymous messaging include Whisper, Sarahah, YOLO, Ask.fm, and Lipsi. These apps typically provide a sense of anonymity to users, encouraging them to share their thoughts, opinions, or comments without fear of repercussions or accountability. While this anonymity can be liberating for some individuals who may feel more comfortable expressing themselves freely, it also creates a breeding ground for cyberbullying and online harassment. Without the fear of being identified, individuals may feel emboldened to engage in harmful behavior, such as sending threatening messages, spreading rumors, or posting hurtful comments. Furthermore, the lack of accountability associated with anonymous messaging apps can make it challenging to track and address instances of cyberbullying effectively. In many cases, individuals who experience cyberbullying through these platforms may find it difficult to identify the perpetrator or take appropriate action to stop the harassment. Overall, the ease of distributing anonymous messages through these apps can significantly contribute to the prevalence of cyberbullying and online harassment in today's digital landscape. As such, it is essential for platform developers, users, and authorities to work together to promote online safety and create a more positive and respectful online environment.

An example is NGL. It is an app available for Android and iPhone mobile devices that allows users to create a private space to receive anonymous messages from other users. These anonymous messages are shared through Instagram stories, making them relatively ephemeral (available for 24 hours). They are not pinned to the “wall” or as highlighted stories because the creators know that the content of the messages they distribute could cause them problems.

This is the process: 1

Download and install the NGL app.

2

An account is created (the user's age is requested, but the app does not have any verification system for the data entered, nor does it inform about the use it makes of the rest of the data it collects from the cell phone).

3

Enter your Instagram username.

4

Choose a template or design for the question you will propose to your contacts.

5

You copy that link (it will be the link that will be shared on Instagram), open your Instagram account, create a story and write a question: for example, who knows gossip about neighborhood parties?

6

From the Instagram story, through the Stickers icon, select 'Link' and paste the link copied from NGL. The same can be done for all anonymous messages received in NGL as answers to the proposed question.

7

The story is ready to share.

Interestingly (a curiosity bordering on hypocrisy), the designers of the NGL app, a California-based company called DeepMoji, christened their creation with the acronym “Not Gonna Lie”. The idea, according to the developers themselves, was to create an app specifically aimed at teenagers and young adults who “do not have a space to share their feelings without the judgement of friends or social pressures”. The reality is that it is often used as a channel to create more or less aggressive cyberbullying campaigns: from simple gossip to much more serious forms of dishonor.

The time has come to set boundaries. There are formulas to regulate these platforms, but there are also many interests and money at stake”

Javier UrraPsychologist and author of the book 'Children: Risk Prevention'

Behind these harmful behaviors towards those who suffer from them, there isn't always envy or other forms of malice. Sometimes it's simply a way to pass the time. But the effects can be perverse. Because it's not the same to be the target of gossip in the schoolyard clique as it is to spread gossip to the “public square” of social media, where everyone (for preteens, their peer group is “everyone”) finds out about uncomfortable truths or lies. Being “humiliated” in this common space is one of the worst things that can happen to a 12, 13, or 14-year-old.

“It's time to set limits,” says Javier Urra, forensic psychologist at the Prosecutor's Office of the Superior Court of Justice and Juvenile Courts of Madrid since 1985, and defender of minors in this community from 1996 to 2001. “Any computer engineer knows that there are many formulas to regulate these platforms, from the age of access to controlling anonymity. But there are many interests and a lot of money at stake. Companies are not going to make it easy. We need to establish international usage criteria and force them to comply,” demands Urra, who has just published Children: Prevention of Risks (Desclée De Brouwer), a manual for those who need to understand and confront the challenges of parenthood in a constantly changing world.

The challenge is enormous. But so are the risks, which is why experts like Urra advocate for employing drastic measures that are more effective. “I myself suggested to the Congress of Deputies that security forces should infiltrate these platforms posing as children to detect and apprehend pedophiles, but they told me that would be inciting crime. I think they are mistaken… Just as traffic officers hide their cars behind trees to catch those who break traffic rules,” the expert illustrates. “We need to help parents. Not all of them are responsible, and many others do not fully understand the tools,” he concludes.