Facebook hinders Oz parents; spreads sex rumour

Melbourne, Jan 19: A gossip page on social networking site Facebook has angered parents in Australia, as it allows teens to spread malicious rumours about the sex lives of Territory high school students.

According to the Northern Territory News, Facebook page 'Palmo Goss', which appears to be loosely based on the popular US television drama 'Gossip Girl', allows people to anonymously post any rumour about Palmerston residents.

The site has angered some of the victim's families, who believe the rumours are malicious and dangerous.

"I couldn't believe some of the comments. They are so sexually explicit, and they name their victims too," News.com.au quoted one mother as saying.

The police at Casuarina said that they couldn't do anything about it - that it wasn't a criminal matter, but a civil matter and that they would have to hire a solicitor to find out who it is.

The mother believed most of the victims of the pages' "slanderous" comments were aged 14 to 18.

"When they get back to school, all anyone will be talking about is Palmo Goss," she stated.

The victim, who is aged just 14, said she worried about how others would now view her.

"All I could think when I saw it was, 'what are people going to think of me now'," she added.

ANI