Cordray Among Attorneys General Urging Stronger Protections on News Forum Website

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray today joined 22 attorneys general to urge Topix, an aggregate news website, to take new measures to protect minors from abusive online content. In a joint letter, the attorneys general said they were concerned that the site charges $19.99 for "priority review" of inappropriate posts, and that it fails to fully disclose the priority review process.
"We believe Topix must make changes to adequately protect consumers and to help keep our youth safe from online abuse," Cordray said. "We know that some students have used the website as a tool to leverage negative comments at other students. It is critical that we implement reasonable safeguards to reduce this problem immediately. Charging a fee to remove inappropriate posts is absolutely unacceptable."
An initial investigation in Kentucky and Connecticut revealed that Topix users post derogatory information on the site's forums and polls section, even though Topix's terms of service prohibit such content. Some forums contain obscene, vulgar and abusive language, often relating to minors.
To remove the negative content, consumers can either flag the post, which some consumers reported as ineffective, or pay $19.99 for priority review. The attorneys general said Topix appears to direct consumers to choose the $19.99 pay option, even though it fails to fully explain the review process.
The Ohio Attorney General's office has received several constituent inquiries about the site. One consumer said that as a mother of a teenager, she was concerned that minors may be hurt by the negative postings leveraged at minors. Another said he did not understand why consumers had to pay to remove negative posts.
In their letter, the attorneys general urged Topix to: screen, monitor and remove abusive content more effectively; make it easier for consumers to report abuse; expedite its review of abuse reports; provide timely responses to consumers who report abuse; and to stop charging $19.99 for expedited review of abusive posts.
To help protect youth from cyber bullying, Attorney General Cordray offers parents the following advice:
Set clear boundaries for when and how your children use technology. Establish guidelines for using computers and cell phones, at home and at school.
Help your children set privacy settings on their social networking sites, and use Internet filters or software to protect against identity theft and cyber crime.
Remind children that it is not acceptable to post threats or hateful content online.
Block communication from anyone that sends your child offensive or threatening messages online or via cell phone.
Encourage your children to tell a trusted adult about any online content that makes them uncomfortable.
Joining Attorney General Cordray in the letter to Topix are the attorneys general of the following: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Guam, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
To read the letter, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/TopixLetter.
For more information or to report an unfair practice, contact Attorney General Cordray's office at www.SpeakOutOhio.gov or (800) 282-0515.