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Ask.fm site to relocate to Ireland from Latvia

The company said Ireland is European home to many leading tech companies
The company said Ireland is European home to many leading tech companies

Ask.fm, the controversial social networking site used by teenagers who post anonymous questions and answers, is moving from Latvia to Ireland.

The company has said it is moving to Dublin, which it says is the European home to many of the world's leading technology companies.

Last August US media billionaire Barry Diller's IAC Group acquired the company through its vehicle Ask.com.

Ask.fm has said it will be joining that operation in Dublin, in order to maximise operational efficiencies.

As part of the move Ask.fm has said it is now reviewing its Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Cookies policy.

It is understood Ask.fm will introduce measures to block and report users or problematic content.

Ask.com CEO Doug Leeds said that when the company acquired Ask.fm "a key component of our commitment to materially improving the safety of the site was to be more transparent".

Mr Leeds also said that there will be no changes to "fundamental aspects of the service such as charging for it or removing the ability to ask questions anonymously".

The website has been heavily criticised for not doing more to prevent cyber bullying after it was linked with teenage suicides in Ireland, Britain and elsewhere.

Leitrim teenager Ciara Pugsley and Donegal teenager Erin Gallagher, who both died in 2012, were allegedly bullied online through Ask.fm.

Ask.fm has described the site as "just a tool which helps people to communicate with each other, same as any other social network, same as phone, same as piece of paper and pen".

The co-founder Mark Terebin said "don't blame a tool, but try to make changes, start with yourself be more polite, more kind, more tolerant of others cultivate these values in families, in schools".

A spokesperson for Ask.fm this evening told RTÉ News that the Law Enforcement Affairs Officer position is a priority for the company as part of Ask.fm's six-month safety plan, and key to its ability to effectively partner with law enforcement when issues arise.

In relation to jobs, the spokesperson for Ask.fm said that it has only just announced the planned move and will begin to build a presence shortly.

Therefore, it is unable to give exact numbers on the number of jobs to be created.