Facebook criticised for no 'bullying button'
Facebook details of 100 million users published on net
Wednesday, 18, Nov 2009 10:44
Facebook and other social-networking websites have been criticised for the absence of a help button designed for children to report bullying.
The 'report' button is available on some websites to allow users to contact specially trained Child Exploitation Online Protection (Ceop) officers for advice.
Bebo has adopted the button, which the Ceop says will make eight million children safer. Ceop said around 10,000 people a month are already pressing the button for advice and help across other online services.
Jim Gamble, chief executive of the Ceop centre said: "There can hardly be a parent in the land whose teenager isn't part of a social networking site. These environments are huge and bring a vast array of converged facilities - uploads, downloads, chats and so on - that are now so integral to young people's lives.
"For so long now we have been saying that we must treat the internet in the same way as any other public space - protecting young people by giving them and their parents and carers the authoritative back up that safeguards their interests and deters potential offenders.
"Our challenge to other social networking site providers is to match the commitment made by AOL Bebo [yesterday] and to help make young users safer across all social networking sites."
A Facebook spokesman told the BBC: "The safety of Facebook users is the top priority for the company, which is why we have invested in the most robust reporting system to support our 300 million users.
"We also work closely with police forces in the UK and around the world to create a safe environment. Our teams are manned by trained staff in two continents giving 24-hour support in 70 languages."
By clicking on the Ceop report button - which will appear on every Bebo profile as an automatic setting - young people, parents and carers will be able to access to the latest advice and help around issues such as viruses and hacking, as well as direct links to a total of ten different sources ranging from Childline to Beatbullying.