Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Thank you very much for your letter.

You’ve told me that you created an account on an asking website and that now you’re getting some really nasty comments from people online. I want you to know that this is bullying. It is wrong and no one has the right to say these things about you.

I’m not sure exactly which website you’ve signed up for, but I’ve had a lot of letters from young people being bullied on question asking sites. Some of these websites let people hide who they really are, and sadly this means that some people will choose to be very unkind to others on the site. You can check if there is anywhere on the website where you can report bullying or worrying comments. Unfortunately not all websites will have anyone who can help you. You might decide that it is safer to stop using that particular website completely.

You mentioned that this site is linked to your Facebook and YouTube account. It might help to change your privacy settings on Facebook, especially if that’s where some of these comments are being posted. You can also contact Facebook if you scroll down to the bottom of the page and select ‘Help’. When you do this, one of the options you’ll see is ‘Report an Issue’, which will allow you to contact Facebook and tell them about what is happening. There’s also a way for you to block a user through YouTube, by clicking on ‘Safety’ and then ‘block users’.

You have done so well to write to me and I want you to know that you’re never alone, ChildLine is here to support you. You might find it helpful to read more about Cyberbullying in Explore. You could also visit the Cybermentors website, which is a space for young people to support and help each other online.

You can also talk to a counsellor here at ChildLine through our 1-2-1 chat. ChildLine is confidential and that means we won’t tell anyone about the things you say, unless we feel your life is in immediate danger.

Take care,

Sam