A website aimed at teenagers where they can post messages and communicate with others has been flooded with threats posted against those allegedly involved in the murder of Michael McIlveen.
Bebo.com is reported to have tens of thousands of registered members throughout Ireland among some 23 million worldwide, although a majority are not active users. Teenagers can create personal profiles and post photographs of themselves as well as view those uploaded by others.
The site is navigated using a school/county filing system, enabling young people to find contacts in their locality.
The homepage claims members can use the site to search for friends, browse the homepages of members, "learn more about people you see every day", send messages to others privately, write and draw on other people's "white boards" online, and join "clubs". Members can also see events and parties on the calendar, keep in contact with friends at other schools/colleges, and "waste time and avoid doing any real work".
It is American-based and organised and contains visible guidelines for use, warnings for parents, and advice to combat "cyber-bullying".
Many teenagers' profiles in the Co Antrim area name individuals allegedly connected with the beating of Michael McIlveen and vow revenge.
Most of the comments are abusive.
The website was under investigation by RTÉ's Prime Time programme last month.
Bebo chief executive Michael Birch, who founded the site with his wife, said the site is actively policed and monitored and has recruited more workers to deal with the half-a-million-plus new users who register daily.
Registration is quick and simple and there are no checks and balances on the claims of identity by those who sign up.
This reporter registered in a few minutes with a false name, false date of birth and claiming to be a former pupil of a Ballymena school. Many of those who register use this anonymity and internet freedom to comment on others.
Mr Birch admits this is "an intrinsic problem with the internet".
"There is no true identity on the internet, whether it's a social networking, a photo-sharing site or any other website. If you receive an e-mail from someone, you don't actually know if it's from that person."
Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia, criticises Bebo's open registration policy as helping to foster misuse.
"This problem is not helped by Bebo's lack of e-mail verification in the registration process, which has made the creation of fake accounts very straightforward. Such accounts are often created solely for the purpose of bullying," it says.
The website carries advertisements from large businesses, including internet providers and telecoms providers.
DAN KEENAN