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DENVER -- What if someone posted your picture on the Internet and claimed you have an STD or an eating disorder?
Dishing the dirt online has never been this dirty.
A new group of "civilian paparazzi" sites makes even regular folks fair game for ridicule and rumor, and some victims said the sites could ruin lives.
One site claims it is "The Next Generation of Gossip," and it takes cyberbullying to the next level.
"It's kind of like a car accident phenomenon, where you can't watch, but everybody slows down and takes a look and knows they shouldn't," said Brie Goin.
People were taking a look at her last year after someone anonymously posted her Facebook photos on a gossip site called The Dirty.
She was no celebrity -- just a college student.
"Can I say what they actually said on there?" Goin asked 7NEWS Reporter Jaclyn Allen, and then she read. "The commenter wrote, 'These are two big Theta sluts ... and the other one bangs anything and everyday.' It's awful."
But that seems tame compared to newer scandal sites cropping up all over the Internet, where vindictive posters get a forum to write whatever they want, whether it's true or not.
One thread 7NEWS found debates "Who is the biggest slut at CU?" and it names names.
A user on another site claims the woman pictured in a recent post lies, cheats, steals and has an STD.
"I'm very close to my family and friends, and they were there to support me. I could see how somebody could really be affected by this," said Goin.
In fact, recent suicides related to social media sparked national outrage, cyberbullying laws and online backlash.
"Many of those sites have cracked down on these sort of things recently," said Steve Beaty, a Metro State computer science professor.
He said because traditional social media such as Facebook and MySpace are getting tough on cyberbullying, "there are going to be sites popping up to fill the void."
For example, a Denver-based rumor forum called uBUNZ recently launched a local forum for trash talking.
"People like the site. They think it's funny, until they're on there," said the site's creator Will Daniels. "Women go on the website and they look up and say, 'Well, Cool! Maybe I shouldn't talk with this guy because he's doing this, this and the other.'"
He freely admits, though, "everything on there is probably total lies."
The sites skirt libel laws with extensive disclaimers and a legal loophole. Under federal law, they are protected from lawsuits if they post content from other people, even it if is obviously false.
Legal opinions are mixed as to whether the sites can be forced to hand over information about "anonymous" users accused of libel.
Daniels didn't make any excuses.
"How do I sleep at night? With a pillow and a pillow case, of course," he said with a smile.
For him, this is business, not personal.
"They're going to find some kind of outlet to do it, regardless of what it is. I'm going to make some money while I have the website," he said.
So as long as local gossip lovers swarm sites like these, he said, they're not going anywhere.
The victims, such as Goin, only hope whoever is dishing the dirt will one day come clean.
"You'll never know who it is, but you just know that hopefully, karma comes back to them," she said.
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