Students from Horsens alarmed by violent gossip shared on Instagram

Four high school students from Horsens have described as “totally insane” and “really violent” the content shared on several Instagram profiles that promote anonymous gossip within their community. The posts contain intimate details about young people’s sex lives and personal relationships, including derogatory comments about individuals.

One post claims a girl smells “really bad,” while another deems someone “cheap,” and yet another threatens to “smash” a person. These revelations shocked a group of students from Learnmark Horsens who encountered some examples in an anonymized form. “It’s incredibly intense; it’s very personal and specific. If someone wrote something like that about me, I think I would just hide at home under the blankets,” said Mille Fogh Tobiasen.

The profiles encourage followers to submit gossip, which is often shared in stories that disappear after 24 hours, ensuring anonymity for the senders. However, many of those mentioned often have both their first and last names revealed, heightening the severity of the situation.

None of the students have personally experienced being targeted online, but they agree that the existence of such profiles crosses a line. “If my name or a loved one’s name appeared there, I would be shocked. I would feel terrible and probably not want to leave the house,” Dagmar Follin Outzen expressed.

The students are concerned about the impact of such anonymous trolling and believe that Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, should take greater responsibility in addressing these issues. They expressed skepticism over whether reporting the profiles would lead to any significant change. While they hope for better digital governance, they acknowledge that bullying in such a form may persist.