A raft of changes to a controversial website used by a teenage girl who killed herself after months of online bullying have been welcomed by her father.
David Smith, whose 14-year-old daughter Hannah was found dead in her bedroom earlier this month, described the measures as “a good thing”.
The bosses of question-and-answer website Ask.fm launched an independent safety review after being heavily criticised after Hannah’s death on August 2.
Mr Smith has been calling for tighter rules for such sites after his daughter endured months of torment on the site from anonymous users who posted abuse including some urging her to kill herself.
Among the changes are the introduction of a higher-profile button for reporting bullying and a pledge to hire more moderators. It will also set up a separate website for parents to find out more about Ask.fm. All the changes will be introduced by spring next year.
In a statement, the site’s founders said they want users “to be able to have fun” but also enjoy using the website “in a safe environment”.
Specsavers, Vodafone, Laura Ashley, EDF Energy and charity Save the Children all pulled adverts from Ask.fm amid the controversy surrounding Hannah’s death after she was found hanged by older sister Jo at the family home in Lutterworth, Leicestershire.
The website has pledged to work with Leicestershire Police concerning the girl’s death but also instructed law firm Mishcon de Reya to carry out the audit of its site and safety features.
Mr Smith said he believed the auditors had “taken a good, long look” at the website and the measures would make the site safer.
“It’s a shame that someone has to go through what I and my family have gone through to get a company to change its ways,” he said.
Mr Smith added he emailed the company immediately after his daughter’s death, but claimed it blocked his emails.
He also criticised what he believes were attempts to “discredit” his daughter after reports emerged that she posted some of the abusive questions aimed at her on the site.
“That stung me for a day or two, but then I thought I would carry on trying to push for a change,” Mr Smith said.
“Ask.fm have not apologised, but they have done something to make teenagers safe. I didn’t want the website closed down, I wanted it made safe for people to use and now it will, hopefully.”
He still wants a change in the law compelling websites like Ask.fm to hand over the details of any online abusers to police.
He revealed he told Hannah to stop using the website in the weeks before her death but she persisted, even setting up another account she kept secret from her family.
Her 16-year-old sister Jo told ITV’s Daybreak she also received abuse on Ask.fm, but stopped using it about four months before Hannah died.