Ask.fm needs to be shut down. It is manifesting into a detrimental website. A teenager in today’s world has enough stresses as it is with school, sports, and their personal relationships and friendships. Ask.fm is just unneeded.

When one receives a question, they have a few choices. One option is to answer the question, which then makes the question become public to the those that follow the user on Facebook or Twitter. They then anonymously follow a person and people can anonymously follow them back.

Another option is to either delete the question or block the person and they will no longer be able to ask you questions.

This website has become the Devil’s playground. Given the power to ask uncensored questions to a person anonymously behind a computer screen is a great opportunity for bullies to harass people.

Particularly adolescent teenagers are targeting and being targeted the most. According to BuzzFeed, there have 9 suicides directly linked to the website last year [2013].

Some of the most common questions asked are not even questions at all. They are hurtful comments. Adolescent girls are commonly called ‘sluts’, ‘skanks’, ‘whores’. Their sex lives are being invaded and rumors are being started.

This website is toxic to teens. Bullying is one of the most discussed topics in our nation, so why are we letting people hide behind screens and anonymously harass people? According to Fox News, the site was started in Latvia, a country in Europe, which may explain why this site has not been shut down.

Ask.fm could be used for good, but people have not proven that to be true. It is incomprehensible  as to why people still use this site even when being bullied. It is believed that teens choose not to delete their accounts because they enjoy the attention that they receive for some of the questions. Sophomore Kacie Suchanek says that the compliments boost her confidence.

If this is the reason that people still have the accounts, then we need to take a step back and reevaluate the morals we are teaching our kids. If the few compliments they get out weigh all of the negativity they get, there is a problem.

Being one of the newest trends in media sites and has become one of the most popular with over 80 million users. It has also become the most dangerous. It is causing unneeded bullying and stress.  It needs to be shut down.