![Babyology: Taking a stand. [Image: Wendell Levi Teodoro @Zeduce. org.]](http://yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/ragtrader/images/dmImage/StandardImage/Wendell - mid 20133.jpg)
An Australian design, style and fashion website has taken action on users who were abusing its Facebook platform.
Babyology, a design, fashion and style website for Australian parents has one of the biggest communities of Australian mums on Facebook, with more than 113,000 'likers'.
However, the company has recently taken a stand against users who have allegedly been using the Babyology Facebook site as a platform for cyber bullying.
Parents engaging in cyber bullying via the site have been warned to "shut up or get off Facebook" in an “official crackdown against mum and dad Facebook trolls”.
Commenting on the move, Babyology managing editor Mandi Gunsberger said she issued the ultimatum to "nasty Facebook parents" this week, after a steady increase in the number of cruel and vicious taunts and comments being left by and about mums on Babyology’s social media pages.
She said mums had become a target for cyber bullies – most often other mums - simply for daring to throw pretty parties for their children, for the brand of cot in their nurseries or, worst of all, for being unable to breastfeed.
According to Gunsberger, the final straw came this week when cyber bully mums left one of her own Babyology staff members shaken and in tears, cruelly abusing her for the way she had decorated her son’s nursery.
“There has to be a time when enough is enough and we call out these people who think it’s okay to attack our community of mums,” Gunsberger said.
“Babyology is our family – fun, safe, caring and supportive – and we believe that unless you would make the same comment face-to-face, then this negativity doesn’t have a place in our online space.”
Gunsberger added that she felt a responsibility to take a stand against cyber bullies because of Babyology’s high social media profile. Babyology’s Facebook page, which started in March 2009, has the highest reach in Australian according to a recent study by Online Circle Digital.
The tough anti-bully stand has won support from many of Babyology’s fans, attracting more than 2500 'likes' and 90 comments from like-minded parents in only a few days.
The move also follows the recent call from former Family Court chief justice Alastair Nicholson, last week, for the Federal Government to make cyber bullying an offence punishable by jail time.
The Babyology website was launched in 2007 and is visited by more than 200,000 unique browsers every month. The Babyology website and Facebook page aim to provide an informative portal on the latest news, products, brands and reviews that interest Australian parents, with an emphasis on design, fashion and style.