Inside Tattle Life: The darkly mean-spirited forum GK Barry mentioned on I’m A Celeb

On I’m A Celeb last night, GK Barry spoke openly about how she never really looks for bad press, but she does often check her name on Twitter to see what negative comments people are saying about her. She also mentioned how she trawls the lesser known Tattle Life – a corner of the internet you might not be aware of. And honestly, if this applies to you – count yourself lucky. What exactly is Tattle Life, since I’m A Celeb just broadcast its existence to millions via GK Barry? Well, it’s a forum where seemingly anything goes, and where influencers are discussed ruthlessly. Tattle Life constantly faces petitions to be banned – so how does it keep running? Here’s all you need to know, as well as some information on how Tattle Life legally maintains operation we got from a media lawyer.

What exactly is Tattle Life?

Tattle Life is a forum where many celebrities are discussed daily – with the most active threads being discussions on influencers and TikTokers. Mrs Hinch, for example, is someone who gets an incredible amount of hate on Tattle, as well as TikTokers like Becki Jones, Nanna Bea and Sevda Ela.

According to Tattle Life, the forum exists for “commentary and critiques of people that choose to monetise their personal life as a business and release it into the public domain”. But many influencers have spoken out about how invasive Tattle Life is – like GK Barry on I’m A Celeb – and how its contributors frequently post untruths as gospel and others believe the gossip.

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The New Statesman spoke to a few influencers affected by Tattle Life, with one saying “It was weird to see my life being ripped apart by strangers, and mostly annoying to see just how many assumptions were plain wrong. These commenters act so high and mighty, and are definitely the sort of people who would think calling someone fat or demanding to know if they were pregnant in real life is horrifying. Do they think the person will just never see it? Or do they not care when they’re granted anonymity?”

This was from someone with 11,000 followers on Instagram, not even to the level of GK Barry talking about Tattle Life on a huge show like I’m A Celeb. But with petitions demanding for it to be taken down, how does it persist? I spoke to media, entertainment and AI lawyer Kelsey Farish about how Tattle Life operates legally without getting in trouble for defamation.

‘Platforms like Tattle Life can quickly blur the line between criticism and invasions of privacy’

“Platforms like Tattle Life operate within a grey area where commentary often crosses into harmful or defamatory speech,” Explains Kelsey. “In the UK, laws like the Communications Act 2003 and the Defamation Act 2013 can apply to posts or social media messages. Additionally, the new Online Safety Act 2023 introduces a framework to ensure online platforms mitigate harm, but the enforcement of these provisions is a challenge, especially for sites that receive a lot of user-generated content and allow users to join and share anonymously.

“Platforms like Tattle Life can quickly blur the line between criticism and outright invasions of privacy. Doxxing, sharing private information, or fabricating personal details are not just morally questionable but could also breach privacy laws. However, the anonymity of users often shields them from accountability, creating significant obstacles for individuals seeking recourse. Additionally, if the platform itself doesn’t sufficiently protect the personal data of its users, the platform might be liable for breach of GDPR.

“Most online forums claim to regulate their content through T&Cs that prohibit harassment or abusive behaviour. However, the enforcement of these policies is typically inconsistent, leaving a loophole for harmful content to persist. While terms of service set an expectation for user behaviour, platforms often struggle to balance active moderation with claims of censorship.”

Could Tattle Life get taken down?

“Shutting down a platform like Tattle Life requires demonstrating that its primary purpose facilitates harm or illegality,” Kelsey continues. “While public pressure and campaigns can highlight these issues, legal action is more complicated. Forums that comply with takedown requests for illegal content—such as defamation or incitement—may argue they fulfil their legal duties, even if the broader culture they foster remains toxic.

“The harm caused by Tattle Life isn’t merely reputational—it’s psychological. Many influencers report significant mental health struggles from the relentless scrutiny they face. While the platform’s defenders might argue that influencers ‘put themselves out there,’ this does not justify unrestrained hostility or invasions of privacy. Legal systems in the UK and beyond are beginning to grapple with how to balance the rights of public figures with the need for healthier online discourse.

“The Online Safety Act introduces a ‘duty of care’ for platforms, particularly those hosting user-generated content, to protect individuals from harm. However, it will take time for this legislation to fully address the kind of toxicity seen on sites like Tattle Life. Until then, individuals targeted on such platforms may need to rely on defamation, harassment, and privacy laws to protect themselves.”

A moderator from Tattle Life wrote in a message visible at the top of Tattle’s homepage: “We have a zero-tolerance policy to any content that is abusive, hateful, harmful and a team of moderators online 24/7 to remove any content that breaks our strict rules – often in minutes.”

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