Teen gossip jumps to the Web.

Not long ago, teenage gossip was something that spread in the cafeteria or was scribbled on bathroom walls. Today, the Web is where many teens go to get the latest juice--and the rumors can be outright nasty. Students in Benicia, California, for instance, scour online message board BeniciaNews.com, where the often anonymous chatter about classmates can turn from sweet to sour in an instant. The site also includes student ratings of teachers. Benicia's district superintendent has responded by blocking access from school computers, but students still sign on at home.

Although many teenagers react to the postings with disgust, others seem enthralled with the newfound power that comes from the blend of anonymity mad publicity. As a contributor wrote on BeniciaNews.com: "this is a place that we kan say enething we want to and gess wut? U dun no who we r." To ward off trouble, sites like the heavily trafficked RatemyTeachers.com are enlisting monitors to remove inappropriate postings. They want to avoid the fate of SchoolScandals.com, which shut down after complaints from parents and a Southern California radio station.