Smokescreen

Everyone's got an opinion about Max: 'arrogant tosser' or 'genius', what's certain is that he's the man in charge

Max founded White Smoke in 2007 with his best friend Cal. After they were in a car crash that put Cal into a coma, he's been the main admin. Most of his mates are White Smoke members; he has way more in common with them than with the kids in sleepy Driffield. Right now he's taking a year off after his A-levels to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and to put more time into White Smoke.

Max hasn't visited Cal since the crash - he's still struggling with survivor's guilt. How he's going to explain that to his best friend when (or if) he wakes up is something he's trying hard not to think about...

Help Max cope with a White Smoke crisis in Mission 1: The Rumour Mill »

Cal's been called a bad influence, but he likes to think of himself as an 'ideas man'

Cal and Max are best friends, but they're also a team: Max has got the techie skills, but Cal's the smooth-talker, the face of the operation - and hey, if his charm also works on the ladies, then who's he to complain?

All of that changed last year, when their trip to Glastonbury ended in a car crash which left Cal in a coma.

Since the crash, he's become something of a celebrity on White Smoke - not just because he and Max made the site, but because of Jo's podcast about him, Boyinacoma.com. Cal's even got groupies who post on his wall. Everyone's hoping that someday soon, he'll wake up...

Discover more about Cal in Mission 2: White Smoke Day »

It's hard to keep friends when your family's just moved house - and even harder when you're the local Vicar's daughter

A girly-girl who watches Strictly Come Dancing religiously and has a passion for style mags, Melissa is hardly the goody two-shoes that her new schoolmates think she is. Lots of people are surprised that she's best friends with someone as opinionated as Jo, but as long as Melissa doesn't drag her to Topshop or mention Big Brother, they get on fine.

Melissa might not have that many friends at home, but she's incredibly loyal to the ones she does have, and she really wants to get on with everyone she meets, online and offline.

Meet Melissa in Mission 1: The Rumour Mill »

Depending on who you ask, Jo's an activist, a crusader, or a pain in the arse!

Jo's always passionate about something, which can be pretty annoying - an offhand remark can result in a 20 minute rant about her latest cause. Jo wants to do important things with her life, and sometimes forgets about people's feelings in the process. Her Boyinacoma.com podcast about Cal has made her famous on White Smoke, but lots of people including Cal's little sister, think it's seriously creepy.

A writer at heart, Jo is all about telling the truth. Her real friends - Max, Melissa, and Billy - know that Jo believes in what she does, and that while she's opinionated, she's also a caring and loyal friend.

Find out what Jo's really like in Mission 1: The Rumour Mill and what other people think of her in Mission 2: White Smoke Day »

Calm in a crisis, good at smoothing things over and helping people get along

Billy's only real flaw is that he's too chilled out - he's taking a year out, and his plans for the future are pretty vague, like 'doing Spanish at uni' and 'living in a foreign country'. He hates the crowds of London, and always tries to escape the city and go travelling.

Since Cal's coma, Max has relied on Billy (along with Melissa and Jo) to help run White Smoke, and the four have become good mates. At 19, Billy's a year older than the other admins, and so he's often the guy with the most sensible ideas.

Find out more about Billy by playing Mission 1: The Rumour Mill »

No ads, no spamming, no bullshit (and 50,000 members)

Set up by best friends Max and Cal in 2007, White Smoke is a social networking site where teenagers can express themselves without anyone watching over their shoulders. It's also incredibly exclusive: the only way you can join is by being invited by a member.

The admins are only there to give the members what they want, and the single unbreakable rule is that all members have to be between 13 and 21.

Get inside the exclusive White Smoke, in Mission 1: The Rumour Mill »