Source: http://blog.timesunion.com

FormSpring is the newest member of the tween and teen social networking realm. Except, this one serves as Facebook’s mean-spirited older sister.

On FormSpring.me, teens have been logging in across the globe to receive anonymous comments and questions from their peers and even some from complete strangers. However, being that people can post anonymously; many users are getting in touch with their inner bullies and sending hurtful and demeaning messages to their peers, simply because they can.

Tamar Lewin of The New York Times describes it as “the online version of the bathroom wall in school, the place to scrawl raw, anonymous gossip.” Lewin says that FormSpring is not unlike other virtual hangouts, like Facebook and Twitter, but the danger comes from the option to be anonymous.

FormSpring has been under a lot of scrutiny recently, after the tragic suicide of 17-year-old Alexis Pilkington, who was a popular girl that fell victim to the callous messages that were left for her. The website, which was launched in November of last year, has quickly grown in popularity, receiving more than 28 million visitors each month.

Not only are kids engaging in this new, and easier form of cyber-bullying, but they are also using FormSpring has a means to send sexually provocative messages and comments about drugs and alcohol. One parent commented on a blog post about FormSpring after recently discovering her own child’s page. “The posts that someone put on were so incredibly nasty that they had her hysterically crying,” Karen wrote of her 12-year-old daughter’s account.

While FormSpring does state that users must be at least 13 years of age, there are no birth dates displayed, and therefore no way of tracking if users are telling the truth. In the setup process, FormSpring also gives the option of disabling anonymous comments, but teenage users seem to be ignoring this option altogether.

“This website basically gives people an opening to call you out on your flaws,” writes Elora, a 15-year-old FormSpring user. “I get many mean and nice [comments] daily, and yet I can’t find the guts to delete it. I guess for a teenager it’s so appealing to know how others feel about you.” She continues on, describing the distressing comments as an addiction.

“It’s becoming so bad that me and [my] friends go to FormSpring before we got to anything else on the computer, usually hoping/dreading that we have something in our inboxes.”

Formspring Screenshot - Source: http://cdn.appappeal.com

While some teenagers become addicted to these insulting comments, many teenage users understand that anonymity will inevitably cause people to say hurtful things that they would never admit to in person. Some users advise just taking it in stride.

“It’s good to know what other people think of you and some people come up with really good questions that get you thinking,” writes Becka, who says she hasn’t had any bad experiences using the social network.

But, one user admits that she writes mean comments to her peers, knowing that they can’t see them. “I’ve never seen any ruder comments than the ones get in [my inbox]. I’ll admit I’ve left some extremely terrible ones in other girls’ inboxes as well. Probably some of the meanest things you can ever think of, to the point where the next day the girl deleted her account,” admits Alisha, 16. “I did it because she’ll NEVER know who said it. FormSpring is 100% anonymous and that’s why I think it’s dangerous unless the teenager is mentally prepared for something like that. And most teenagers aren’t.”

When a FormSpring user receives a comment or question, it is first sent to their private inbox, where they can then decide to answer and make it public on their personal profile page, or delete it altogether. So the question remains, why are so many users basking in the cruel messages they receive, and then choosing to post it for all to see?

Sources:
http://www.formspring.me/
http://thehurt.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/do-your-kids-use-formspring-me/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/us/06formspring.html

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