Social networking sites criticised for failing to protect children

Blog 3

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/nov/18/social-networking-sites-criticised


Summary

Social networking sites criticised for failing to protect children

Social network sites such as facebook and Myspace criticized for not doing enough to protect younger children. The child exploitation and online protection (Ceop) have a new tool for reporting abuse. The tool contains many options for victims to reporting abuse. Violations of Bebo’s tems, as well a bullying deterrent, hate speech and sexually explicit content.
Also complains of inappropriate behaviour can directly reported to specially trained ceop officers. The chief executive of the ceop doesn’t understand why the social networks are not using the new tool of the ceop. It is a free service and it has a lot of benefits for all users. The young children are as safe as possible while they are online. But facebook main priority is also safety and they have already “the most robust reporting system” they also work with together with police forces and have trained staff to keep the network safe. Other reasons for not taken the tool are that sites face with technical problems or do not want to lose advertising space.

Reaction

I have read more about this topic and it appears that facebook and Myspace are giving its users numerous ways to report abuse. It seems like ceop only look of the benefits of its own tool. I understand the criticisms but it is maybe a little bit unnecessary because they have already a good reporting system. But one thing is definitely necessary and that is protecting the young children on the internet that they can use the online networks as save as possible. And two safety tools is probably better than one! So I will advise facebook and Myspace to take the tool it is free anyway. The problem is solved in my opinion!