How Do You Stand Up To A Faceless Bully?

Nobody likes to be made fun of. Yet, 13 million teens will be bullied in the U.S. this year.

And it’s not a problem unique to a school environment. A little thing called the web has made it possible to anonymously bully. We’re sure you’ve all come across sites like Formspring. If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not missing much. Trust us.

It’s a Q&A website that lets users ask/answer questions from other users. And it can be done anonymously depending on your preference settings. Whoa. Forget the perfect storm, this sounds like a recipe for the perfect bully scenario.

We understand there’s the right to free speech, but where do you draw the line? We've put together a list of reasons why gossip sites like this are no good:

1. Users are basically asking others to bash them via "honest" opinions.
2. The cyber-cruelty appears consensual because you allow these people to follow you.
3. You can bully without any consequences. (Yay, anonymity.)
4. There's always going to be someone who doesn't like you so why open the door for their mean comments?
5. You undervalue your self-worth by asking whether you're pretty, thin, popular. Because let's face it. Haters are gunna hate.

What do you think of these sites? Tell us in the comments below.

And if you’re looking to take action, we’ve got tips on how to start a petition. GO