Bot for teen girls debuts

Teen site ELLEgirl.com and software provider ActiveBuddy have launched an instant messaging tool targeted at teenage girls. Dubbed ELLEgirlBuddy, the companies said the interactive agent, or "bot," will help teens retrieve information via IM services. Such information includes news and trends in fashion, entertainment and beauty. The ELLEgirlBuddy also includes the ELLEgirl theme song as well as links to ELLEgirl.com. ELLEgirl.com is a teen Web site developed by New York-based Lagardere Active North America, a subsidiary of French parent Lagardere SCA that owns the Hachette Filipacchi Medias. Early this month, New York-based ActiveBuddy said it plans to offer its software tools to developers, allowing companies to build their own bots.