Anne-Marie Schmidt posted a screen shot on her Facebook page of the girl’s Instagram post. The post incites other grade sixes to call Ms Schmidt’s daughter Mackenzie a “b*tch”.
In what can only be described as hideous bullying, one of Mackenzie’s “friends” posted the following on her Instagram account:
“Question – does anyone like Mackenzie? She’s being a b*tch to me, check my photo of all my friends… She commented on it. I HATE HER AND I DONT CARE IF ANYONE TELLS HER!!! HeHe” A number of other children – some of whom are mutual friends of the pair – replied and agreed. One even posted: “She is a b*tch alright”.
The question needs to be posed, regardless of the details – if this was real life, would this girl have the front to put this question to an actual audience? Would then, Ms Schmidt be validated in putting her reply up for public scrutiny?
“Too many parents wouldn’t even know what accounts their kids have got and what they post online,” Ms Schmidt said. She said there had been other similar issues in the past involving the same girl and her daughter.
Ms Schmidt said Mackenzie was “in tears and inconsolable” when she was first alerted of the post by another friend. “She was absolutely devastated. She is a very vulnerable 12-year-old,” she said.
There doesn’t appear to be an age limit for the Instagram platform, although Facebook has an age requirement of 13. Instagram however is gaining in popularity and significance among the “tween” set.