A police investigation has been launched into three Fife web pages which featured sexually explicit and insulting remarks about school pupils.
Chief Inspector Jill Harper, area commander for Police Scotland in North East Fife, has ordered an officer to investigate whether there has been any criminality surrounding postings on the pupil-run Madras Rumors Facebook page, which was shut down by Facebook last week.
Police are also now investigating two further “Madras Meme” Facebook pages which were also closed down on Tuesday.
This was after parental concern about “highly offensive and bullying” content, drawn to the social media company’s attention by The Courier.
Police say that while the setting up of the sites would not be criminal, some of the content might allude to criminal matters and this is being investigated.
If evidence of criminality is found, action could be taken.
The Courier told on Saturday how the Madras Rumors site, which allowed pupils to anonymously berate classmates at Madras College in St Andrews, was axed by Facebook.
Last week several parents got in touch to express concern about the Madras page, which had attracted 217 followers since being established last Wednesday.
The page included sexually explicit and insulting remarks and innuendo about pupils and the parents said their own efforts to have it shut down had been in vain.
However, within 30 minutes of The Courier making contact with Facebook, it was confirmed that the page had been “taken down”.
The Madras Meme page, which featured sexual innuendos about individual pupils, and dated back to 2012, was removed on Tuesday under similar circumstances.
A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed the Madras Meme pages had also now been removed after being highlighted by The Courier.
Councillors have spoken of their disgust at the nature of the material published, with St Andrews councillor Brian Thomson saying he plans to discuss any possible actions the council can take with education officers.
Meanwhile, fellow St Andrews councillor Dorothea Morrison added: “Far more control has to be taken on all these websites. Young people today appear far more grown up than I was in my teens but inside, they are exactly the same and just as vulnerable.”