CYBER-bullying and the perils of living your life online are depicted with nerve-racking clarity in this teen horror film which gives a new twist to the cliched “found footage” school of film-making.

Ingeniously, the action unfolds via a teenage girl’s laptop as the film explores the dark side of the internet and social media.

Unfriended tells the tale of Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig) and her friends who are are stalked during a group video chat by someone using the online account of their dead friend Laura Barnes.

She committed suicide a year earlier after being cyber-bullied over an embarrassing video of her which posted on the web.

But the mysterious “Billie227” is seeking revenge as he or she hacks into the teenagers’ Facebook and email accounts and takes control of their lives as, powerless to act, they watch on.

It’s a riveting and nail-biting horror narrative which demonstrates that nothing is private online. 

The consequences of digital actions highlighted by the recent phone and email hacking scandals have shown why — as this film demonstrates — it’s best to engage the brain cells  before you post.